CAF Confederations Cup: Warri Wolves Hit Dedebit 2-0, Dolphins Walked Over In Tunisia

ONE of Nigeria’s representative in the CAF Confederations Cup, Warri Wolves FC, struck twice yesterday against visiting Dedebit SC Football Club of Ethiopia. Wolves scored early in the game through Oghenekaro Etebo in the 4th minutes and added a second later.

But it was a sad story for the second Nigeria’s representatives in the competition, Dolphins FC, as they were walked over by Club Africain in Tunisia yesterday.

The Port Harcourt based club jetted out of the country late following agitation by the players for increment in the $500 offered them for the trip to Tunisia.

They arrive Tunis at about 1pm local time, but could not get a bus to convey them to the Stadium on time for the match. The match was scheduled for 3pm, but the match officials, after waiting for few minutes, called for formalities and awarded the match to the host, Club Africain.

Signs that Dolphins might end up losing the three points at stake to their Tunisian opponents started manifesting on Thursday, following agitation by the players that the $500 estacode offered them for the trip was too small.

Dolphins missed its flight to Lagos on Thursday, where they were expected to connect a flight to Dubai enroute Tunisia for the first leg of their tie against Club Africain.

Dolphins Media Officer, China Acheru, who spoke from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Friday before they departure said: “Yesterday (Thursday), we were supposed to board a flight at 3:30 pm to Lagos and connect a flight to Dubai by 9:30 pm. Sometime at about 11 am, the players started agitating that they will not participate in the match in Tunisia, if the estacode being offered was not proper.

“Some of us spoke to them, trying to make them understand that estacode is paid when the club can afford it. Right now, everybody knows that River State government does not have the kind money they had four years ago, so the club cannot afford to pay a high estacode. We said we will give the players $500 each, but they are asking for more,” he said.

Acheru, however, confirmed that the players were being owned six months salaries.