Battle of Benghazi: Plateau United Arrive Safely For Titanic Duel
One of two Nigeria’s flagbearers in this season’s CAF Confederations Cup Play-offs, Plateau United Football Club of Jos has arrived Benghazi , Libya, venue of wednesday’s CAF Confederations Cup play-offs against Al-Akhdar Sports Club.
The Peace Boys landed at Benghazi airport aboard a Tunisian airline flight at exactly 9:45pm local time , 7:45pm Nigerian time.
The forty-man contingent later moved to their hotel Al-Wahab which is a quiet vicinity outskirts of Benghazi , reputed to be the second largest town in Libya.
Plateau United who were bundled out of the CAF Champions League by Esperance of Tunisia in controversial circumstances, defeated Al-Akhdar 4-1 last week Wednesday at the MKO Abiola Stadium , Abuja in the first leg of the competition.
A win or a draw of any magnitude , will be good enough to see Plateau United through to the group stage of a CAF inter Club competition for the first time in their history.
Speaking ahead of the encounter, Technical Adviser of the team, Coach Fidelis Ilechukwu said they are going to and lie low here , but instead attack as the best form of defence in order to keep their host under check.
“We are fully prepared for this all important match , knowing fully well that coming out with a decent result will catapult the team to the group stage of the competition, Coach Ilechukwu said.
” Naturally a four-one victory is a good scoreline by any standard, but f a competition of this magnitude, where the away goal rule counts, we need maximum concentration to enable us come out unscathed, the former MFM of Lagos Coach, enthused.
The match will kick-off by 5pm Libyan time which is 3pm Nigerian time , as the winner of the tie over two legs , will scale through to the group stage of the competition which kicks-off early next year.
The other Nigerian Club, Rivers United of Portharcourt will face another side, Al-Nasr who they hammered five-nil in the first leg. The match comes up at the same venue by 9pm Libyan time, 5pm Nigerian time.