Warri Wolves Aim For Good Start In Burkina Faso

Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) club Warri Wolves will hope to begin their Confederation Cup campaign on a winning note, despite their mixed fortunes in the pre-season.

Wolves, who finished third in the Glo Premier League this season, visit RC Bobo Dioulasso of Burkina Faso this weekend, without the injured Nigeria U-23 forward Oghenekaro Etebo.

There is considerable uncertainty about the availability of Nigeria international Azubuike Egwuekwe, who last week told Sports Radio Brila FM he was taking a break from football after failing to sign with English Premier League side West Ham and Israeli club Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

Injured Oghenekaro Etebo Out of Wolves Trip to Burkina Faso.
Injured Oghenekaro Etebo Out of Wolves Trip to Burkina Faso.

The coach Paul Aigbogun’s side will nonetheless seek to improve on their dismal Confederation Cup record having failed to advance beyond first and second rounds in their three previous appearances in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

They were knocked out in the second round by CA Bizertin of Tunisia last year.

Wolves finished the 2015 expanded Super 4 pre-season in fifth positionwith two wins from five matches- including successes over Glo Premier League champions Kano Pillars and Nigeria’s other representative in the Confederation Cup Dolphins. They have been in a closed training camp since then.

The ‘Seasiders’ have been boosted in the defence by a couple of new faces, Super Eagles full-back Solomon Kwambe and Semiu Liade, who joined from Enyimba as a replacement for ThankGod Ike who has since left the shores of the country for Omani club Fanja FC.