Exclusive: Ifeanyi Ihemekwele Basks in Glory After Historic Strike Against Zamalek

Enyimba striker Ifeanyi Ihemekwele was still basking in the euphoria of scoring his first group-stage goal in the CAF Confederation Cup after the game last Sunday.

The strike, which came against defending champions Zamalek on Sunday evening at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, earned his team a crucial point in the competition. Going into the Sunday game, Enyimba had lost their first CAF Confederations Cup game to another Egyptian club, Al Masry, before Ihemekwele became a calvary for the Nigerian side.

In an exclusive interview with SportsBoom.co.za, Ihemekwele expressed his delight at scoring against the Egyptian giants. The elated striker couldn’t believe his eyes that he scored one of the powerhouses in CAF games in Africa.

"I feel pleased scoring my first goal in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage," he began. "Not only scoring but also against the defending champions of the CAF Confederation Cup last year. I'm delighted."

Ihemekwele praises home fans for their support

With two goals down, Enyimba kept the pace to an equalizer as their fans cheered them before Ihemekwele tipped Zamalek’s goalkeeper Mohammed Awad to put the Nigerian side into the game.

Ihemekwele attributed his impressive performance to the massive support he received from the home fans. "I think I feel more comfortable playing at home because of the support here at home. It's massive," he stated.

The Enyimba striker's goal motivated his team to fight and stay resilient. Despite being under pressure from the defending champions, Ihemekwele's strike in the [insert time] minute gave his team a crucial lifeline.

"I'm very proud of my team because we worked very hard for this result," Ihemekwele said. "We knew it wasn't going to be easy playing against the defending champions, but we were determined to get a good result."

Ihemekwele hopes to build on Sunday’s feat

Ihemekwele's goal-scoring feat is a significant milestone in his career, and he's eager to build on this success. "Scoring my first goal in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage is a dream come true," he said. "I've worked very hard for this moment, and I'm grateful to my coaches, teammates, and family for their support."

As Enyimba continues its campaign in the CAF Confederation Cup, Ihemekwele is confident that his team has what it takes to go all the way. "We have a very good team, and we're all working towards the same goal," he said. "We want to make our fans proud and bring glory to our club."

The energetic striker has scored four goals so far this season for Enyimba in the league. "I'm very grateful for this opportunity, and I'm looking forward to scoring more goals and helping my team achieve success," Ihemekwele concluded.