Etoile pledge to up African Champs League final stakes

SOUSSE – Etoile Sahel’s president believes his team should not be ruled out of contention in the final of the African Champions League despite a 0-0 draw in the first leg against Egypt’s Al Ahly.

Othman Jenayeh insists his Tunisian team will perform better than they did in the drab goalless home draw against the Egyptian champions on Saturday when the return leg is staged in Cairo on November 12. “Our players will do better because they are used to playing better in away matches,” he told the BBC.”We will give them a shock in Cairo in front of their fans.”We will give them a surprise.”Jenayeh believes the pressure will be on Ahly when they play in front of a capacity home crowd in Cairo’s 70 000-seater Military Stadium.Before the return leg, Etoile must play Club Africain in a tough league match on Wednesday and Jenayeh is unhappy with the fixture.”I am disappointed that the Tunisian Football Federation refused to postpone the league game with Club Africain,” he said.”It would have given us a chance to prepare because playing so many games exhausts the players.”But he said, “we will take the match as a warm-up for the second leg.”-Nampa-AFP”Our players will do better because they are used to playing better in away matches,” he told the BBC.”We will give them a shock in Cairo in front of their fans.”We will give them a surprise.”Jenayeh believes the pressure will be on Ahly when they play in front of a capacity home crowd in Cairo’s 70 000-seater Military Stadium.Before the return leg, Etoile must play Club Africain in a tough league match on Wednesday and Jenayeh is unhappy with the fixture.”I am disappointed that the Tunisian Football Federation refused to postpone the league game with Club Africain,” he said.”It would have given us a chance to prepare because playing so many games exhausts the players.”But he said, “we will take the match as a warm-up for the second leg.”-Nampa-AFP