Heartland leave for Congo on Wednesday

Ahead of the second leg of the CAF Champions League finals against TP Mazembe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Heartland Football Club of Owerri will arrive Lagos today in preparation for their departure for Congo on Wednesday.

The travel arrangement was revealed by Heartland’s striker, Uche Agba, who grabbed a goal 10 minutes before stop time to give Heartland a slim 2-1 victory over Mazembe at the Dan Anyiam Stadium on Sunday.

“We are coming to Lagos tomorrow (Tuesday) from where we will travel to Congo on Wednesday or Thursday,” he said. “We are playing on Saturday so we hope to get to Congo latest by Thursday night; work out the jet lag and be in shape for the match.”

Bringing the cup home

The player, who, after scoring seven goals on the continent, is in contention for the league top scorer’s award, admitted Mazembe has an away goal advantage. He is, however, optimistic that Heartland will bring the cup to Nigeria a third time noting that, despite being at home, Mazembe would be pressured to go for at least a 1-0 win and may be reckless.

“Football isn’t a straight forward mathematics. We can’t expect a team that made it into the finals to lie down while we pummel them with goals because we are at home. In the same manner, we are not going there to be defeated. The worst result we can get there is a draw,” he noted.

Heartland FC team manager, Emeka Iwuagwu confirmed that the team’s travel arrangement. He stressed that the arrangement is essential to the team’s goal of winning the continental trophy.

A rainy obstacle

Meanwhile, the duo of Ike Thankgod, the team’s captain (who joined the club from Sunshine Stars of Akure two seasons ago) and King Osanga, blamed the heavy downpour at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, where the match was played on Sunday soggy, for the slim 2-1 victory over Mazembe.

“Mazembe could have fallen by more than 2-1 but for the rain, it spoilt the game for us,” Thankgod said.

Osanga, scorer of the first goal agreeing with Thankgod agreed that the rain slowed the pace of the team and reduced the flow the ball blamed himself: “I miss some clear chances, I feel responsible for the slim victory; it should have been more.”