By Jacob Ajom
After a long month of top class football exhibition at the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa, African club sides return to the trenches this weekend as the CAF Champions League assumes the crucial group stage at various centres.

•WHERE'S THE BALL? Heartland player shields the ball from an opponent during a league game. Today Heartland under new coach Samson Siasia take on Al Alhy in the Champions League.

Today at the Dan Anyiam stadium Owerri, last year’s losing finalists, Heartland Football Club of Nigeria will take on Egyptian champions and six time winners, Al Ahly in a Group B game.

This, no doubt promises to be a crucial match for both sides who would want to prove a point to the other group opponents.

For Heartland, the encounter means everything. After losing out in the chase for a domestic league title, the Owerri giants will want to use this opportunity to win the Champions League and finish the season in a flurry. It is only important that they improve on their efforts as mere finalists last year. And the sponsors of the club, the Imo State government is serious about it.

Governor Ikedi Ohakim recently ordered some changes in the technical crew and engaged former Nigerian international, Samson Siasia as the new technical adviser and Emeka Ezeugo, another former Nigerian international as his assistant.

Today’s all-important encounter will therefore pose the first real test for Siasia whose reputation as a coach of international acclaim suffered a slight dent after the ill-fated Egypt 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign with the Flying Eagles. Despite that inglorious patch Siasia’s ability  has never been doubted by his country men and women – not with the daily calls for him to succeed Lars Lagerback as national team coach.

The Bayelsa-born gaffer will therefore use the CAF Champions League to relaunch his career. Siasia has already started sounding tough.

Just the other day at his unveiling, Siasia said he would not fail with Heartland. His ability to take up challenges, even at risk of staking his reputation makes him the man he is. But the Olympic silver medal-winning coach has every reason to be confident.

Heartland boasts some of the best players in the local scene. Players like Ike ThankGod, John Owoeri, Augustine Brown and Ikechukwu Ibenegbu on a good day can be winners against any opposition.

But Siasia must be wary of his guests this weekend as the Egyptians are sounding tough. The prolific goal-scoring midfielder, Mohammed Aboutreika who has been part of Al Ahly’s continental conquest in 2005, 2006 and 2008 sent a word of warning on their arrival Thursday. The 2008 CAF best home-based player of the year who contributed immensely to Egypt 2006 and 2008 Cup of Nations triumphs is optimistic of a sterling performance in Owerri..
“It will be a difficult game and the result is important for our course. The players are focused for the game and we have prepared feverishly for the game.”

The Egyptian club which was in Germany and Austria ahead of today’s encounter is largely made up of the Egyptian national team that has made the Africa Cup of Nations a no-go-area for other countries.

They will be cautious in their approach as the Egyptians are still too conscious of their elimination from the same competition by Kano Pillars. This could be their chance to revenge against another equally tough Nigerian opposition.

This weekend’s cracker in Owerri, no doubt holds the key to Heartland’s success in the champions league. Siasia must not toy with this chance.

Ahly’s rivals Ismaili will host Algerian outfit J.S. Kabylie in the other Group B clash. In Group A, holders T.P. Mazembe of DR Congo will face Dynamos FC of Zimbabwe in Harare whilst Entente Setif of Algeria engages Tunisia’s Esperance in Setif.