El-Kanemi Warriors coach King Emmanuel says his team still has significant room to develop after a commanding 3-0 win against Guinea-Bissau’s UDIB in the opening leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary-round tie.
Quick facts
- El-Kanemi Warriors defeated UDIB 3-0 in Ikenne.
- The squad has trained together for roughly four weeks.
- The return match will be played in Guinea-Bissau.
- Babagana Umara Zulum and the Borno State Government were thanked for supporting the club.
The Maiduguri club delivered an impressive display in Ikenne to take a sizeable lead into the second encounter. Emmanuel, however, believes his players need additional time before they reach the standard he has set for them.
He noted that the group has only been assembled for around a month and is still adapting to his demands. The coach said the team had not yet reached its intended level, adding that its true progress would become clear at the appropriate stage of the campaign.
Emmanuel was pleased with the way the players applied their training, especially in areas such as physical conditioning and their grasp of his tactical ideas.
The three-goal margin has nevertheless strengthened his belief that El-Kanemi can advance. He said the result had raised the team’s expectations of securing a place in the next round.
The coach also expressed his appreciation to Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and the state administration for their backing of the club.
Even with such a strong advantage, Emmanuel cautioned the squad not to relax before the return fixture.
He said the first-leg performance had shown what was possible, but insisted the players must travel determined to produce another effort that would delight their supporters.
