Enyimba International of Nigeria suffered a 2-0 defeat to Al Masry of Egypt In their opening match of the 2024 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Group D campaign at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria on Wednesday.
The game began with early dominance from the Egyptian side, who capitalized on a set-piece to take the lead in the fifth minute. Mahmoud Hamada was in the right place to finish off a cross, slotting the ball past Enyimba goalkeeper Okiemute Odah from the left side of the six-yard box. Despite some early pressure from the Nigerian club, Al Masry maintained their composure and continued to create dangerous opportunities.
Enyimba, nine-time Nigerian champions, had a number of chances in the first half, with Ekene Awazie and Imo Obot both seeing attempts go off target. However, they struggled to break down the solid Al Masry defense, and the score remained 1-0 at the break.
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The second half saw more action, with Enyimba pressing for an equalizer. However, their efforts were undone in the 74th minute when Al Masry doubled their advantage. A neat finish from Mahmoud Hamada, his second of the match, sealed the victory for the home side.
Enyimba’s best chances came late in the match, but efforts from Clinton Jephta and Ifeanyi Ihemekwele were either blocked or saved by Al Masry goalkeeper Mohamed Shehata. The Nigerian side also suffered from a series of injuries throughout the match, with key players like Uwana Asuquo and Ismael Saraki forced off the field.
In a tense conclusion, Enyimba’s defense held firm despite several late Al Masry attempts, including a header from Pape Badji and a shot from Karim Bambo that was saved by Odah. The referee blew the final whistle with the score still 2-0 in favor of the hosts.
With the defeat, Enyimba now sit third in Group D, while Al Masry rise to second place. Zamalek top the table after a 2-0 win over Black Bulls, who are in fourth. Enyimba will now look to bounce back in their next fixture when they face Zamalek in their second group match, needing a win to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Al Masry’s solid performance keeps them well-placed for a strong run in the group stage, while Enyimba will need to regroup quickly to avoid falling further behind.
