Enyimba football club of Aba have qualified for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup after a tense penalty shootout win against Etoile Filante of Burkina Faso at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Sunday.
The match ended in a goalless draw, following the similar outcome of the first leg in Bamako, leading to the shootout where Enyimba won 3-2.on penalties
Both teams struggled to break the deadlock throughout the 90 minutes, with Enyimba showing resilience and composure despite the pressure of being the last Nigerian team left in continental competition.
The Nigerians displayed a solid defensive performance but lacked the finishing touch in front of goal, similar to their efforts in the first leg.
The penalty shootout saw Enyimba converting three of their attempts, while Etoile Filante managed to score only two.
The win marks an important step for the People’s Elephant, who are now aiming to become the first Nigerian club to lift the CAF Confederation Cup trophy.
Elsewhere, USM Alger overturned a first-leg deficit to eliminate Stade Tunisien, winning 2-0 at home.
Kevin Mondeko’s goal in the 75th minute set the stage for a dramatic finish, and an own goal from Bilel Mejri in stoppage time confirmed their place in the group stage.
Meanwhile, Tanzania giants Simba defeat Ahli Tripoli of Libya 3-1 to progress to the group stage after their first leg encounter ended goalless.
In Dakar, Jaraaf of Senegal clinched their spot in the group stage with a convincing 3-0 victory over Racing Club d’Abidjan.
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Goals from Matheuw Fall, Souleymane Dione, and captain Rémy Bocandé secured the win, showcasing a dominant performance at the Lat Dior Stadium.
Meanwhile, ASKO Kara of Togo fell short in their bid to reach the group stage after a 1-0 loss to Djoliba of Mali, resulting in a 2-0 aggregate defeat.
Meanwhile, Sagrada Esperanca of Angola dumped out Nigeria’s remaining representatives in the CAF Champions League, Rangers International.
The Flying Antelopes suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Angolan opponents in the second preliminary round, second leg fixture.
Despite beating their opponents by a lone goal in the first leg in Uyo, Rangers failed to make it to the group stages losing 3-2 on aggregate.
The People’s Elephants are now the only Nigerian side in the continent.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
