Enyimba, albeit in two sets, arrived at the 11th hour ahead of Saturdays Orange Caf Confederations Cup last 16 clash against hosts Zanaco at Sunset stadium in Lusaka.
The first team of five officials and players arrived at 23:00 on Thursday that included a reported two Enyimba squad members.
The rest of the 2009/2010 Nigerian league champions’ team arrived on Friday around midday in a party that also included their coach Okey Emordi.
Enyimba claim that their travel plans to Zambia have been delayed by red tape in the issuing of their entry visas to Zambia before they were told on Monday by the Zambia mission in Nigeria that they could get them at the point of entry at Lusaka International Airport.
Enyimba media officer Tonnex Chukwu said the team late arrival for the first leg match will not hamper their chances of qualifying to next month’s Confederations Cup group stage matches.
“No, no Enyimba is a big team because we are used to these things,” Chukwu said.
“When you are hosting a team in the first leg you must be careful if you ill-treat your opponents you have a second leg to play and your guess is as good as mine. But we know Zambians are enlightened people so we expect a good match.”
Meanwhile, Zanaco come into the first leg with lingering doubts about the fitness of their key striker Makundika Sakala who is their top scorer in Caf club competition this season on four goals.
Sakala has been struggling with fitness for the last three weeks since June 12 when Zanaco beat Green Buffaloes 2-0 away at Edwin Emboela stadium in a delayed Week 4 match.
Zanaco travel to Nigeria in a fortnights to face Enyimba in Aba in the final leg decider during the weekend of July 31, August 1.
