Yesterday’s CAF Confederation Cup 2nd 1/8th draw to determine the teams to finally qualify for the group stage of the Confederation Cup was one in which Nigerians and Bayelsa United Supporters heaved a sigh of relief, writes Paul BASSEY.

In a draw that had such frightening names like Al Ahly of Egypt, Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa, A. S Real of Bamako, A.C Leopards of Congo, Djoliba of Mali and ASEC of Cote Divoire, Sewe Sports de San Pedro seemed such a good draw.

The procedure for the CAF draw did not quite reveal that. According to the CAF draw format, Sewe Sports was in the seeded Champions League pot along side Al Ahly, Coton Sports, and A.C Leopards while Bayelsa was in the unseeded Confederation Cup pot with DHJ, Medeama of Ghana, and Atletico.

A further study reveals that Sewe Sports, founded in 1953 broke away from the shadows of ASSEC and Africa Sports and for two consecutive years have been champions of the Ivorian league. The current league table in Cote Divoire sees Sewe Sports on top with 37 points from 16 matches played, winning eleven, drawing four and losing only one.

Sewe has scored 24 goals and conceded only seven. ASSEC second on the league table is four points adrift.

Sewe broke into Africa last year and after eliminating the likes of F.U.S Rabat of Morrocco, Al Hilal of Sudan etc qualified for the Group Stage of the CAF Champions League starring in Group B along side Coton Sport, EST of Tunisia and Recreativo de Libolo of Angola.

In their very first match played at the 6,000 capacity Stade de Robert Champroux in Abidjan they wired Libolo 3-1, but faltered along the way, not being able to come out of the group, drawing 0-0 at home to Coton Sport and losing home and away to Esperance.

Sewe Sport returned again this year, and after an impressive run that saw them eliminating Barrack Young Controllers of Liberia, FOS Balantas de Mantsoa of Guinea Bissau, they came face to face with the dreaded T.P.Mazembe of Congo D.R and and in a match nobody gave them any chance on paper beat them 2-1 in Abidjan.

Tout Puissant Mazembe had to struggle to beat Sewe 1-0 in the return fixture in   Lubumbashi to advance on the away goals rule. This match alone, bears testimony to the strength of the Ivorian champions. A club that has not lost its last five matches in the league thanks to a crop of highly skillful, young, mobile and talented players including highest goalscorer the mercurial 25 year old Zougula who has five goals to his credit in the current campaign.

The 23 number shirted Zougoula is complimented by Kakou, Mandella and Halidou, all on three goals apiece. Also serving as threat is the fine goalkeeping form of first choice goalkeeper Gbohou, who is the natural choice for the CHAN team of Cote D’ivoire.

Bayelsa, this is the hurdle between you and the group Stage, one whose name does not ring a bell, but one who is potent and lethal with enough experience in Africa, to booth.