JoeTex seeks third Champions League

Ghana-born Joetex Frimpong is seeking a third Champions League winners medal with his Club Sportif Sfaxien of Tunisia

After helping Enyimba of Nigeria win the 2003 and 2004 editions, the ex-Ghanaian international striker hopes to score again before a sell-out 52 000 crowd at the November 7 Stadium on Saturday to help his club lift the African Champions League for the first time.


"Every time I play I wish to score and God will help me get another one against Ahly. I'm expected to score because I am a striker," explained JoeTex


Frimpong agrees with Sfaxien coach that the return encounter will be no formality even if the team exceeded expectations before 80 000 partisan Egyptians at the International Stadium.


"We have a better chance of lifting the trophy after drawing in Cairo, but it is not going to be easy. All I can promise Tunisians is that the Sfaxien players will do their best to succeed," he said.


The striker boasted that his support base extends far beyond Tunisia, a country that has appeared in six Champions League finals since 1991, but won just two with Etoile Sahel losing the last two.

"The people of Ghana and Nigeria support me because I am from Ghana and played in Nigeria. I know they will be watching the final and this gives me an added incentive to succeed."


After forcing a 1-1 draw at mighty Ahly of Egypt in the first leg of the final, a goalless draw in Tunisia on Saturday will see Sfaxien lift the cup.


Success for Sfaxien would complete a football fairytale, earn a one million dollar prize, and at least another million for tackling Auckland City of New Zealand in the Fifa Club World Cup quarterfinals.


Barcelona, Internacional of Brazil, Club America of Mexico, Jeonbuk Motors of South Korea and Auckland have filled five of the six places at the world championship in Japan during December, leaving Africa to complete the line-up.


While star-studded defending champions Ahly were always among the African Champions League title favourites, no one outside the southern coastal town of Sfax gave the black-and-white-clad "Zebras" a realistic chance.

But after heroic away wins over DC Motema Pembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and FAR Rabat of Morocco during a qualifying programme from hell, the Tunisians sensationally topped a mini-league including Ahly.


When the clubs clashed in the pool phase last July at the tiny Taieb Mhiri Stadium in Sfax, the locals triumphed 1-0 to end a 78-match unbeaten run by Ahly in Africa spanning two years.


The return match was equally close with Ahly prevailing 2-1, and Sfaxien did even better two weeks ago with striker Joetex Frimpong wiping out a half-time lead given to the Egyptians by midfielder Mohamed Aboutraika.