Aziz Looks for CL Title Lift

Joe Tex Frimpong made his mark on the continent when helped Nigeria�s Enyimba to two successive Champions League titles between 2003 and 2004. Five years on, another Ghanaian player is attempting to attain success also with a Nigerian club in the continental showpiece. Full-back Aziz Ansah says he is taking a cue from the Ghana international as Heartland prepares for the first leg match of the finals on Sunday against DR Congo�s T.P Mazembe. The clash will be the third time the two clubs will be meeting in the club competition this term, after the mini-league stage. Heartland are hoping to go better this time after their 1988 final defeat in the club competition. �It�s a wonderful moment in my career. Playing in the Champions League final is great especially with it being my debut final. �Reaching the final explains the hardwork that has gone into it till this stage. We are all excited but we are not getting carried away yet. �I hope I can emulate Joe Tex Frimpong who won it with Enyimba twice. It will be great to win it for the first time,� said Aziz Ansah on Thursday from his base in Owerri. The Ghana player admits that a win at home on Sunday would put them in a good position ahead of the return clash in Lubumbashi on November, 7. �We are playing at home first and need to take our chances. A win here (home) would give us a good lift for the return. And we can do it.� Aside the possible success, Aziz wants to seize the moment to play into Ghana coach, Milovan Rajevac�s list of possible candidates for the Black Stars. �It�s important to play well and help my team win. The Champions League was a big stage that helped Joe Tex Frimpong break into the Black Stars. He scored lots of goals.�But I play in a different position but can help my team like I have done till now. I hope the Ghanaian handlers will follow my career here (Nigeria). �This a good time for me to show the coaches what I can do. But that is not the main thing though. The important thing is to play well, defend well and join the attack when we have the ball so we can lift the cup. �When the job is done, we can hope for the best. But pulling on the national shirt really drives me. And I would continue to work hard to try and get called,� he said. At stake is a $1.5 million prize-money and a ticket to represent African at the FIFA World Club Championship slated for the United Arab Emirates in December.