Nigeria’s sole representative in the CAF inter-club competitions, Enyimba, suffered a 2-0 defeat to Egypt’s Al Masry in their opening Group D match at the Suez Stadium.
The Nigerian side hoped for a strong start to set the tone for the group stage but fell behind early after a defensive error allowed Mahmoud Hamada to open the scoring in the fifth minute. Hamada later doubled Al Masry’s lead in the 74th minute, completing his brace.
Al Masry dominated the encounter, registering 21 shots, with 10 on target, compared to Enyimba’s nine shots, only three of which tested goalkeeper Mahmoud Gad. Enyimba’s Henry Ani Ozoemena delivered a stellar performance despite the loss, making eight remarkable saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
The Egyptian side maintained slight control in possession, completing 414 passes (55%) against Enyimba’s 370 passes (45%).
Three Enyimba players, Fatai Abdullahi (16′), Innocent Okey (44′), and Ismael Sarki (48′), received yellow cards, while Al Masry’s Karim Eraki was booked in the 45th minute.
Enyimba will aim to rebound from the defeat when they host Zamalek FC at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in
