[b]Pillars draw Al Hilal, Al Merreikh

Champions League giantkiller Kano Pillars of Nigeria will fancy its chances of making the semifinals after the group-phase draw made in Cairo on Thursday.

Pillars, shock winner against six-time champions Al-Ahly of Egypt in the final qualifying stage last weekend, drew Al-Merreikh and Al-Hilal of Sudan and Zesco United of Zambia.

Etoile Sahel of Tunisia and Tout Puissant Mazembe of Democratic Republic of Congo, the former champions in a field containing five newcomers, share the other group with Heartland of Nigeria and Monomotapa of Zimbabwe.

The six-round mini-league series will be staged between July 17 and September 20 with group winners and runners-up advancing to the semi-finals of the annual 3.5-million-dollar competition.

With only Etoile, Mazembe and Hilal reaching the group phase of the premier African Football Confederation club competition before, form is of little help in guessing who will make the last four.

But after toppling Ahly on the away-goal rule following draws in Nigeria and Egypt, Pillars will attempt to become the second winners of the trophy after Enyimba from Nigeria.

Merreikh and Hilal are formidable in Omdurman, where sauna-like weather and partisan supporters are formidable assets, but Sudanese clubs often struggle away from home.

Pillars will spot some familiar faces in the Merreikh team as midfielder Endurance Idahor and strikers Kelechi Osunwa and Stephen Worgu are from Nigeria.

Zesco is the first Zambian club to get this far and among their qualifying victims were Africa Sports of Ivory Coast and Djoliba of Mali, who had shocked 1991 champion Club Africain of Tunisia.

Etoile Sahel, twice runners-up before shocking Ahly in the 2007 final, look the team to beat in the other pool with Mazembe, one of just three clubs to successfully defend the title, and Heartland fighting for the other spot[/b]

http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20090508141557


Nairalanders,do you think either of the two Nigerian clubsides will go all the way to win the trophy or are there fans in the house who feel there might be an all-Nigerian finals?
Let's here your opinions

I hope to see Nigerian Teams become champions of AFRICA

@Poster

I don't think there will be an all Nigerian final of the CAF African Champions League.  Kano Pillars have done well so far, but they have to work harder to progress in the competition. I've not had the opportunity to watch Kano Pillars and Heartland FC in action, but I'm impressed by the results they've churned out so far. Can Pillars win the Champions League? That is a million dollar question that can't be answered for now. Enyimba Fc won the African Champions League back to back, due to a number of factors. The then Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, was solidly behind the team. Enyimba players were paid well and were motivated daily by Kalu, who sometimes attended the team's training sessions. Enyimba FC also had a passionate supporters club which had a membership that was more than 5,000.

Most of Enyimba's supporters were traders and they spent their money to support the team in different parts of Africa. Enyimba FC also had a good crop of players who were really talented and committed to winning matches. I don't know if the Current Kano Pillars and Heartland teams have the circumstances I have mentioned sorrounding them. I wish them the best anyway. Then there is the factor of bad referees who usually turn against Nigerian clubs when we are playing the North African Teams in the latter stages of the tournament. Cheers.

Al - Hilal though a good team can be defeated by Kano pillars, Al haly was the major threat i pray Kano pillars go all the way

MrCrackles:

Lol!!!


Al Qaeda United

Brashy,na craze dey worry you oo
Where you see Al Qaeda united 

Redman44:

@Poster

Enyimba Fc won the African Champions League back to back, due to a number of factors. The then Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, was solidly behind the team. Enyimba players were paid well and were motivated daily by Kalu, who sometimes attended the team's training sessions. Enyimba FC also had a passionate supporters club which had a membership that was more than 5,000.

Most of Enyimba's supporters were traders and they spent their money to support the team in different parts of Africa. Enyimba FC also had a good crop of players who were really talented and committed to winning matches. I don't know if the Current Kano Pillars and Heartland teams have the circumstances I have mentioned sorrounding them. I wish them the best anyway.

Very true submission
Kano pillars have got a good technical adviser (yes a foreigner who some state FA goons cannot arm twist to field players from their academies)
All sign-on and other fees to players have been paid and I hear the state government has assured the club of ALL it's support in this quest.It might not be as massive as the Enyimba example,but I'm sure enjoying the kind of support they's never had in the past,the players will leave no stone unturned to do well in the tournament.I hope heartland gets same if not more support than Pillards afterall they're closer to Aba and should have seen how Enyimba was propped up by Orji Uzor Kalu's government

I don't have all the stats on Zesco,heard they too are giant killers but I'm sure Heartland will surmount them

Redman44:

@Poster

I don't think there will be an all Nigerian final of the CAF African Champions League.  Kano Pillars have done well so far, but they have to work harder to progress in the competition. I've not had the opportunity to watch Kano Pillars and Heartland FC in action, but I'm impressed by the results they've churned out so far. Can Pillars win the Champions League? That is a million dollar question that can't be answered for now. Enyimba Fc won the African Champions League back to back, due to a number of factors. The then Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, was solidly behind the team. Enyimba players were paid well and were motivated daily by Kalu, who sometimes attended the team's training sessions. Enyimba FC also had a passionate supporters club which had a membership that was more than 5,000.

Most of Enyimba's supporters were traders and they spent their money to support the team in different parts of Africa. Enyimba FC also had a good crop of players who were really talented and committed to winning matches. I don't know if the Current Kano Pillars and Heartland teams have the circumstances I have mentioned sorrounding them. I wish them the best anyway. Then there is the factor of bad referees who usually turn against Nigerian clubs when we are playing the North African Teams in the latter stages of the tournament. Cheers.

If you did see the Pillars/Ahly game, you would have sounded a bit more optimistic. The Pillars team is well funded by the Kano state government and does have a very large support base. It would be a safe assumption to say Pillars and Enyimba are the very few clubs with vociferous support from members of the public in their home cities.

The Governor of Imo state has also pledged to do an OUK to enable Heartland win the title. While this can be waved away as a speech by an opportunist, the squad profile of the club is rich and has some experienced players like Aziz Ansah, John Owoeri, Emeka Nwanna, Damien Ude and the inform striker Thankgod Ike.

It may be a long shot to see an all Nigerian final but I do think it is very possible. The only thing I see putting an end to that dream is confidence issues. OR maybe the very strong Etoile du Sahel!

@Rasputinn
@ow11

I have heard you, guys. I will try and look for a way to watch Kano Pillars and Heartland play in the African Champions League. Etoile Du Sahel of Tunisia will be favourites to lift the trophy but the Nigerian clubs can shock the Tunisians. I am happy Kano Pillars is well funded and has a good supporters club. I know Kano Pillars is a club with a credible history. I knew about the club when I was six years old. Any club that defeats Al Ahly of Egypt is good. I wish our clubs the best.

Redman44:


I have heard you, guys. I will try and look for a way to watch Kano Pillars and Heartland play in the African Champions League. Etoile Du Sahel of Tunisia will be favourites to lift the trophy but the Nigerian clubs can shock the Tunisians. I am happy Kano Pillars is well funded and has a good supporters club. I know Kano Pillars is a club with a credible history. I knew about the club when I was six years old.  Any club that defeats Al Ahly of Egypt is good. I wish our clubs the best.

yeah, but they qualified through a string of draws (they only won twice, i think), if they continue like that they may be on their way out  . at least both teams will not try to eliminate each other in the group stages. so thats good for their chances of going through.

IMO, i think heartland has the better chances of winning though. they've had amazing home and away victories and besides, kano pillars will have to fight extra harder cos the've gone from an unknown team to giant killers and those north african teams wont make it easy for them.

i thnk now is just d best time 4 d Nigerian Clubs.

Wish them all the best

visit us at www.heartland-fc.com we are set to take both the league and Caf championship cup

nzube90:

visit us at www.heartland-fc.com we are set to take both the league and Caf championship cup

Really    ,don't forget you are 8 solid points adrift of Bayelsa United
In any case I guess we'll have to watch and see, I wish you all the best

eto fils:

i thnk now is just d best time 4 d Nigerian Clubs.

I pray they do very well