The heartland football club of Owerri has gone into their Nnewi Camp in preparations for the Sunday 29th April CAF Confederation Cup 3rd round 1st leg match, slated for Dan Anyiam Stadium.
In a chart with the Media officer of the club, Mr. Cajethan Nkwopara, ‘Imo Trumpeta’ gathered that immediately the team got wind of the fact that their NPL week 22 match against Sunshine of Akure in Owerri had been postponed as Sunshine had traveled to Mali for their CAF Champions League match with Djoliba F.c of Mali. The management ordered that the team be moved into closed camp to allow for a serious concentration and preparation to enable the team do well in the match on Sunday and possible win the trophy.
Nkwopara also told ‘Imo Trumpeta’ that the club had filed an appeal challenging some of the decision taken by the Organizing and Disciplinary Committee over their FA Cup ¼ final match with police machine of Owerri. Nkwopara stated that since police violated the statute of the game by encroaching into the field of play while Heartland was about taking a penalty ordering their players to abandon the match, there by citing fans invading the pitch.
He finally said that the rules of the game were clear enough and the police team and their officials violated them also faulting the heavy fine imposed on them by the O and D, Committee 300,000 as against 50,000 imposed on police mechine team.
Still on the CAF Cup game, the Dutch coach of the Naze millionaires, De Kruif expressed his pleasure with the back to full fitness of his striker and keeper, Brendan Ogbuu and Daniel Ekeyi who both had slight injuries in their week 21 NPL match against Warri Wolves in Warri. He also said the inclusion of Chibuzor Okonkwor, Chidozie Johnson and Chijioke Ejiogu will help to give more stability to the team as they enter into the crucial stages of both the CAF Cup games and the NPL 2nd round matches.
