For years now, Nigerian clubs hoisting the nations flag at CAF Continental competitions has never had it so smooth. For the four clubs representing the nation to have progressed into the next round of CAF competitions has not happened for a while, but Plateau United an MFM Football clubs, representing the nation at the CAF Champions League and Enyimba FC and Akwa United representing the nation at the CAF Confederation Cup has brighten the hopes of the nation, as they all scale through to the Round of 32.
Plateau United and MFM on Wednesday progressed to the second round of the CAF Champions League after beating their opponents in the second leg of their first round fixtures.
Plateau, who defeated Eding Sport of Cameroon 3-0 in Jos, beat the hosts 1-0 in Yaounde to qualify 4-0 on aggregate while MFM defeated AS Bamako 1-0 at the Agege Stadium in Lagos after playing a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Bamako. They qualified 2-1 on aggregate.
Plateau will meet Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia, who drew a bye into the round, while MFM will meet Algerian side Mouloudia Club de Alger, who defeated AS Otoho of Congo 9-2 on aggregate.
MFM host the Algerian side in the first leg while Plateau will be away to the Tunisians.
The winners of the second round fixtures over two legs will proceed to the group stage of the competition while the losers will play in another qualifying round of the Confederation Cup.
Akwa United also qualified for the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup after beating Gambian side Hawks 2-0 in Banjul on Wednesday. The Hawks won the first leg 2-1 in Uyo. Akwa thus qualified 3-2 on aggregate.