Mountain of Fires and Miracles Ministries football club, MFM FC’s dependable defender, Uwaga Chuka, has expressed his happiness and privilege to be playing in the CAF Champions League representing Lagos state and Nigeria.
The centerback revealed this and more after they secured a place in the next round of CAF’s top tier club competition, following a 1-0 win against AS Real De Bamako in their preliminary round one second leg tie at the Agege stadium on Wednesday.
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The Olukoya Boys, with that result, qualified with a 2-1 aggregate win over the side from Mali, with Uwaga arguably the best player on the pitch for the home side.
Speaking exclusively to aclsports.com after the game, the elated Uwaga could hardly contain his joy.
“I feel great,” he said. “I feel so great that we have gone to the next stage of the competition, being the first time we are representing Lagos state and Nigeria in the CL. I’m well honoured.”
For the duration of the game, Uwaga was kept on his toes by Thasse Diara, the towering striker for Bamako.
However, Uwaga won everything threw at him by Diara, including all the aerial duels contested by both players.
Uwaga, who was a rock at the back for the NPFL side, says the battle with Diara was all about wits, and the belief he had in himself.
“I have always believed in myself and my strength in the air,” he added. “It wasn’t about (his) height, but about what you have upstairs [sic] and [my] timing of the ball that I was able to contain him at the end of the day.”
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Meanwhile, the stoic defender, Uwaga, also gave an insight into how the Felix Ilechukwu side were able to overcome their visitors, Bamako, who dominated on the ball but were restricted to half chances as they struggled to create anything against the Uwaga led back line.
Uwaga revealed that their manager’s tactics and the personal resolve of the players were the two factors that got them through on the day.
“We held on to the tactics [of our coach]. Before the game, the coach told us they(De Bamako) play from the flanks, so were able to close and hold them, and told ourselves if we couldn’t score, then, they shouldn’t score us.”
On what next for his club, Uwaga concludes; “To correct our lapses and build on our targets.”
With the result, MFM are up against MC Algiers from Algeria in the next phase of the CAF CL.
