Two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba FC find themselves in a precarious position in the ongoing group stage of the 2024-2025 CAF Confederation Cup.
After enduring two significant defeats in their first three matches, their prospects for advancing to the knockout phase of the Confederation Cup appear increasingly slim.
In their most recent encounter on Sunday, December 15, Enyimba suffered a heavy 3-0 loss to the Black Bulls of Mozambique, further diminishing their chances of a successful campaign.
This defeat was particularly disheartening as Enyimba entered the match already under pressure to secure points.
They fell behind early, with Nigerian-born forward Rume Akporoh finding the back of the net just 15 minutes into the game, a development that set a troubling tone for the rest of the match.
As the game progressed, the situation worsened for Enyimba; Fidel De Sousa scored the second goal for the Black Bulls in the 57th minute, followed by a final blow from Francis Ayuba Abubakar, another Nigerian-born player, who sealed the victory with a third goal in the 64th minute.
This loss has left Enyimba sitting at the bottom of Group D, amassing only one point from a single draw and two defeats so far in the tournament.
With their upcoming match against the Black Bulls on the horizon, Enyimba hope to turn their fortunes around. However, they face a daunting schedule, including challenging fixtures against Al Masry at home and Zamalek in Egypt, both of which represent formidable opponents.
For Yemi Olanrewaju’s squad to keep alive their hopes of progression to the next round, a clean sweep of victories in their remaining three matches is essential. However, their fate will also be influenced by the outcomes of matches involving their group rivals.
Adding to their struggles, Enyimba’s recent performances have been lacklustre across both domestic and continental competitions. They are currently on a worrying streak, having failed to secure a win in their last five outings.
The last time they celebrated a victory was on October 27, when they edged past Ikorodu City with a 2-1 scoreline.
In the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), the former champions find themselves in a challenging position, currently ranked 10th with just 22 points, although they have played three fewer games than their competitors.