Former Super Eagles’ right back, Christian Ogbonna Kanu was the star of MatchDay 3 at the 2024 Achievers Cup in Lagos, as his presence helped Team Kendoritz pull off a surprise 1-1 draw with table-topping Team Prossy.
Read Also: Etim Esin Confesses – “My Biggest Regret Was That I Could Not Play At Any World Cup”
Sports247.ng reports that Prossy had won their two previous games before Saturday’s clash in the competition organised by Island All-Stars Sports Club (IASC), while Kendoritz lost one and drew one.
However, against all expectations, Kendoritz scored first in Saturday’s game that marked the end of the first round of matches in the competition that is officially tagged IASC/Providus Bank Championship.
Furthermore, Prossy were barely able to pull level with a penalty kick, only after Kendoritz had a player sent off, which left all observers concluding that the presence of Kanu made a world of difference for the underdogs.
Kanu, who missed Kendoritz’s first two matches, acknowledged the turnaround that his side achieved with his presence, but insisted that every other person in the squad equally played their own part.
He added, “It was not something difficult, because we have different kinds of players. We start with some key players, and others can then come in.
“What we had was enough for us to get a goal. We also had a red card, which affected where we should have controlled the game.
“Unfortunately, they got a penalty, and that put them back into the game. We then played 10 against 11 but still finished up with 1-1. So, it’s not a bad game at all.”
The younger brother of two-time African Footballer of The Year, Nwankwo Kanu, went on to reveal that he quickly made himself available for Saturday’s match despite having arrived back in Lagos from overseas just a night before the fixture.
“I returned from London a day before this match. On hearing that my team has not been playing well, I decided to play this game.
“I was determined and sure that once I join the team, we should be able to win.
“I wanted us to win so badly, in order to show that my presence here matters and ensure that we can go far in this tournament.
“At least 1-1 is not a bad result. It’s better than losing the game. I believe me being back for the team put a plus to us in this game,” said the soft-spoken star.
In conclusion, the younger Kanu, who shot to fame with the under-17 national team, Golden Eaglets in 1997, then played for junior squads at Arsenal of England and Inter Milan of Italy, expressed hope that Kendoritz can still win Achievers Cup 2024 next month.
“I believe, with what we played today and how we performed, it’s a big plus to show that we can win this competition.
“We will ensure that, for our remaining three games, we will make sure we win them all and be where we are supposed to be,” said Kanu Jnr, who also previously played for Peterborough United of England.
