Joetex Prays For Hearts

As his Nigerian team, Enyimba of Aba, was heading for Dakar, venue of Saturday's African Champions League, second round, second leg match against Jeanne d'Arc of Senegal, Ghanaian-born striker, Joetex Frimpong, was praying for Accra Hearts of Oak to advance into the group stage of the competition.

"I want Hearts to qualify. I hope they can overcome the deficit and advance into the group stage of the Champions League. As a Ghanaian, it wil be nice to see them in the last eight," he said.

The Ghanaian stated that his father, who is based in Nigeria's Northern city of Minna, capital of Niger State, was also concerned about the outcome of the match, to be played at the Accra Stadium, on Sunday. "You want to know why? I pray they qualify and I if my team Enyimba also qualifies, I would be glad if we are in the same group at the end of the day. I want to play in Ghana with my Nigerian team so that Ghanaians can see me in action. Playing against Hearsts in Accra would be an exciting fixture."

Hearts, who are three goals down have a date with Angolan side, AS Aviacao, while Enyimba are going to Jeanne d'Arc with a four-goal advantage from the first leg match played in Aba.

Unlike Hearts who won the Cup in 2000, Enyimba are yet to win the cup.

The Nigerians made their debut in the 2002 edition but their ambitions were punctured by former champions, ASEC Mimosas of Abidjan.

However, Nigerians are optimistic that Enyimba can go far in the Champions League considring their outing so far.

FRIMPONG LOOKS BEYOND JEANNE D'ARC

Ghanaian-born forward of Enyimba Football Club of Aba, Joetex Asamoah Frimpong, is already thinking of the group stage of the lucrative African Champions League.

Speaking with Ghanaweb before his Nigerian team left Lagos for Dakar, Capital of Senegal, where they will play Jeanne d'Arc, in the second round, second leg match,on Saturday, Frimpong, who is the leading scorer in the championship with four goals from three matches said:

"I believe that by God's Grace, we will wallop Jean d'Arc of Senegal. We are prepared and the spirit is there. I have said it that i will not disappoint Enyimba and we will not."

When asked about the ambition of the entire team in the Champions League, he replied: "Enyimba will go to the finals, that is our dream, and it shall come to fulfilment."

The Ghanaian-born striker scored once against Guinea's Satellite in Aba, and twice in the return leg in Conakry. He scored his fourth goal in the 4-0 pounding of the Senegalese champions, during the first leg match at the Enyimba Stadium, in Aba.

In a related development, chairman of the team, Felix Anyansi, noted that the club has done its best to ensure that it gets a good result in Dakar.

The club will also bank on the presence of three Nigerian Internationals, namely, goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, who was at the last World Cup in Korea/Japan, as wel as the duo of Emanuel Isah and Romanus Orjinta.