Fans celebrate Enyimba's success

The Nigerian team's win on penalties over Etoile Sahel of Tunisia saw them become the first side to retain the trophy in 36 years.

On Monday, thousands of fans gathered outside the team hotel in Abuja to continue a raucous party that started immediately the match.

Many supporters made the journey to the Nigerian capital Abuja after Caf ruled that Enyimba's home stadium in Aba was not suitable to host the high-profile match.

"It's a great feat the boys have achieved," said football fan Charles Obi.

"Enyimba, Enyi, Enyimba, Enyi!" shouted a handful of fans who danced on a road adjacent to the hotel, carrying a mock coffin of their defeated opponents.

While the fans were celebrating, the players were being received at State House in Abuja by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Yet the president was far from their only supporter.

"Yes, they have done it again and we are proud of them - for doing the double," another fan added.

"We pray that next year they will still continue to do it, at least a third time. That's what we are praying for."

"I'm so excited, I knew they would do it and they make us so proud. It's a Christmas gift for everybody," was the reaction from another jubilant supporter.

Back in Aba, followers of the club also known as the People's Elephant were equally overjoyed.

"Aba has been drinking and dancing, we have been out in the streets all night long," one fan said.

"Everybody is happy and there are shouts of Enyimba, Enyimba all over the place."

After Enyimba won the match, fans poured onto the Abuja pitch and ripped up advertising hoardings as officials and players ran to the dressing rooms.

The presentation of the trophy had to be delayed by an hour as police struggled to restore order but there were no reports of serious incidents after the match.

Emordi look to third success
Enyimba coach Okey Emordi has already set his sights on winning a third straight African Champions League title next year.

The Nigerian side are only the second team ever to retain African club football's top prize after TP Mazembe of the DR Congo won the title in 1967 and 1968.

"Successfully defending the Champions League was a lot more difficult than when we first won it last year," Emordi said.

"Because after our triumph in 2003, Enyimba were no longer a little team on the continent and the pressure was on us to prove to our critics that our first cup win was no fluke."

"Now our target is to win it for the third time, just as we had done with the local league. We are a team that makes history."

Enyimba defeated Etoile Sahel of Tunisia 5-3 on penalties after the teams finished 3-3 on aggregate.

Obinna Nwaneri, who stepped up to tuck away the decisive fifth penalty during the shootout, was also confident Enyimba can win the competition a record three times in succession.

"We have proved to be the best team in Africa and are capable of winning the competition a third time next year," said the big defender who captained Enyimba on Sunday.

"Any coach who handles this team cannot go wrong because we have a bunch of committed players who have continued to work for each other.

"Last year, Kadiri Ikhana won the tournament, this year it was Emordi."

Only a handful of players, including Romanus Orjinta, Mike Ochei and the controversial Ahmed 'Yaro Yaro' Garba, quit Enyimba after last year's triumph.

However, no less than ten of their stars from the latest campaign, including internationals Vincent Enyeama and Obinna Nwaneri, are expected to leave this time.

But Enyimba are expected to poach the best players in the domestic championship as replacements for the 2005 challenge.

The team have been showered with gifts, from plots of land to cash and will need very little incentive to win again next year as the winner of the 2005 tournament will represent Africa in the Fifa World Club Championship, which has prize money worth US$15m.