The hope of the nation having a flag bearer at this year CAF Champions League has been dashed. Plateau United, the nation’s domestic league champion, yesterday, crashed out of the CAF Champions League despite beating Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia 1-0 in Kano. The Tunisians went through 4-3 on aggregate having won the first game in Sousse 4-2.
The country’s other representatives in the competition MFM of Lagos crashed out of the competition on Saturday after losing 6-0 to Algerian side MC Alger in Algiers. They lost 7-2 on aggregate after a 2-1 win at the Agege Stadium. Plateau and MFM will now battle to reach the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup. Nigeria will thus have four clubs in the next round of the Confederation Cup.
It is two years since a Nigerian club featured in the group stage of the Champions League. Enyimba were the last Nigerian club to feature in the group stage of the competition in 2016.
Tosin Omoyele scored the goal in the 24th minute as the Jos club pushed for an early goal. The goal came after Peter Eneji’s effort in the 10th minute bounced off the upright.
In the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday, Enyimba and Akwa United progressed to the next round of the competition after beating their opponents.
Enyimba defeated Benin Republic club Energie 3-2 to win 5-2 on aggregate in Calabar while Akwa advanced in the tournament after beating Al Ittihad of Libya 3-2 on penalties in Uyo. The regulation time ended 1-0 in favour of Akwa. The Libyans had won the first leg 1-0.
Akwa goalkeeper Ojo Olorunleke saved three spot kicks to ensure the Nigerians win the shootout 3-2. They progressed 4-3 on aggregate.
The possibility of Nigerian teams meeting each other in the other round of the CAF Confederations Cup is high, because the nation has four team in the next round.
