Nigerian-born goalkeeper John Noble is delighted at the chance of facing Rangers International when his club ASC Kara (ASCK) of Togo host the Nigerians in a Total CAF Confederation Cup (TotalCAFCC) game on Sunday.
Former Nigerian Champions, Rangers, will play to book a place in the competition’s group stage against Kara who are champions of the country’s domestic league and Cup.
Not only will Kara be lining out many of the players that eliminated Nigeria from the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN) last weekend, they will also be having in goal, Noble who has Nigerian blood running in his veins.
“I was very happy (to be drawn against a team from Nigeria) because right from the CAF Champions League where we dropped down to the CAF Confederation Cup, I was always saying to myself that I would love to play against a team from Nigeria,” said Noble to www.aclsports.com
“More so now that it is a team like Enugu Rangers who are well known in the Nigerian league and they have been doing well both at home and outside.”
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John Noble has established himself as ASCK’s first choice goalkeeper and was in goal in all four of the team’s Champions League matches before their eventual demotion to the Confederation Cup.
The Rivers State born goalkeeper has also imposed himself as a top name in the Togolese topflight, having won the best goalkeeper award last season.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s match at the Stade de Kegue in Lome, the 21-year-old also spoke on his journey so far.
“I moved down here last year to join my current club now and by the grace of God we were crowned the champions of last year’s League season and we also went home with the FA cup last season and I was awarded with the best goalkeeper award last season.”
Togolese sides hardly ever get into the group stage of CAF club competitions in the past decade, a trend Noble is hoping his side can buck that trend this time around.
“I know it’s really going to be a difficult one but in football, anything is possible so I believe we’ll get to the group stage.”
The first leg at the Stade de Kegue in Lome will kick off at 4:00pm local time (5:00pm in Nigeria) on Sunday with the return leg billed for the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium in Enugu next Sunday.
Includes worthy contribution by Zazi Bariza
