CAF CONFEDERATION CUP: FATTY TO PLAY FOR A WIN OR DRAW AGAINST AKWA UNITED.
Uwem Uko
Hawks FC of Gambia’s tactician, Ansumana Fatty has disclosed that his team will play for a draw or maximum points when they engage Akwa United in a 2018 CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first leg match on Sunday.
Speaking to the press after training at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, venue of the crunchy tie, the Banjul club’s gaffer also revealed that playing against Dolphins (now Rivers United) in 2007 CAF Confederation Cup has given the team a lot of motivation ahead of Sunday’s game.
“This is not our first experience coming to Nigeria, we came here in March 2007, where we lost 2-3 to Dolphins (now Rivers United), after drawing the first leg 0-0 at home in a CAF Confederation Cup Round of 32 fixtures.
“Back then i was an assistant coach to Sang Ndong, who is now the technical director of Gambia National football team, so we have a bit of experience.
Fatty admitted that Akwa United is a good side based on their performances after just seven games in the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League, but insisted that his team is well prepared for the impending uphill task.
“With their position on the Nigerian league table and playing seven games, losing just one, that is alarming, and one has to respect it, but it is going to be 11 against 11.
“We have very young players and some of them are inexperienced, but we will showcase our football to the best of our ability,” Fatty said.
“We are coming to pick a point or points here and then take the game to Gambia and the team is spiritually, mentally, physically, technically and tactically ready for that.
Fatty did not hide his admiration for the lush green turf of the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
“Looking at the turf, it is a perfect ground to play good football which is expected from both sides. The pitch is exceptional, this is what we are expecting from all African countries.
“Investment in sport infrastructure is one of the ways of motivating football in Africa,” he concluded.
