Edo Queens of Benin City coach, Moses Aduku has quickly turned his attention on his side’s next match in the CAF Women’s Champions League and declared that they will take Wednesday’s game as a cup final.
Sports247 reports that the first-time Nigerian champions, who won their first match 3-0 on Sunday, will tango El Masara of Egypt in a decisive second game for both sides at the ongoing competition in Casablanca, Morocco.
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Both sides will enter the midweek fixture on three points apiece, but the Nigerian champions have a superior goal advantage.
While Aduku’s team romped to a mammoth three-goal margin on Sunday, El Masara won 1-0 against the holders, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, in the group’s opening tie.
Edo Queens will also battle Sundowns in their last group match on Sunday, but the Benin City-based club’s coach is not thinking about that game just yet, as his focus for now is fully on the clash with El Masara.
He declared as much after goals by Emem Essien, Folashade Ijamilusi and Chukwuamaka Osigwe gave his team bragging rights inside Casablanca’s Larbi Zaouli Stadium.
“We had a wonderful game. Victory is sweet,” said the former youth international midfield dazzler. We won the game because we got our chances and we took them. But, honestly, the game was tough. Very tough.”
Aduku then gave kudos to his side’s opponents, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), but also disclosed that sheer determination and a mindset to win their opening match spurred his players to snatch the maximum points at stake.
“The Ethiopian side are no pushover, but we denied them from playing their game.
“We tried to gain opportunities. We got our opportunities, and we scored. So, victory, victory is ours for today.
“If you are to stay in a competition, you need to win your first game. That was the mindset we came with.We may be a first-time team, but once you win your first game, you have an opportunity to move ahead.
It was very important to win our first game and, we thank God, today we got three goals,” Aduku eulogised.
He then spoke about his side’s next match and stressed that their focus is only on Wednesday’s game for now, because they will not put the cart before the horse.
“We are not here to watch. We are here to compete, and we’ll take it one game at a time.
“This one is gone, and we are looking to the next one. The important thing now is the game against the Egyptians. That is our next game.
“They won their first game also. So, it’s going to be very tough. Them defeating the defending champions has given them more confidence. But, for me, I did not come here to underrate any team. One thing I told my girls is that in every team here, there is a potential champion.
So, we need to play each match like a cup final. Our next game on Wednesday will also be like a cup final,” Aduku affirmed.
He, however, downplayed inferences that his side looks like champions in waiting, with a verdict that they must first stay focused on playing each match at a time, rather than think too far ahead.
Nonetheless, Sports247 gathered that a princely sum of $600,000 is up for grabs by the top finisher in the eight team competition, while second gets $400,000 as well as $350,000 for the third placed squad and $300,000 for fourth at the end of proceedings in Casablanca, Morocco.
