Plateau Utd crash out of CAF Champions League, Enyimba advance
Plateau United Football Club of Jos on Sunday crashed out of the 2018 CAF Champions League on a 3-4 aggregate in spite of beating Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia in Kano.
The Nigerian league champions beat the Tunisian side 1-0 in the second leg match of their second round fixture.
But they still crashed out to the Tunisian side who had earlier won the first leg 4-2 in Tunis.
Plateau United went on the offensive from the opening minute of the return leg played at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.
The home team scored in the 24th minute of the game through Tosin Omoleye to set the tone for an interesting game.
All efforts by Plateau United to score thereafter proved abortive as the Tunisians defended tenaciously and deployed delay tactics.
Khaireidine Madhoui, the Etoile coach, in a post-match interview, said he was satisfied with his team’s performance and they deserved the win in spite of the unfriendly weather.
“With what I have seen today, it means the team is ready to win the CAF Champions League.
“However, I commend Plateau United for their fighting spirit and commitment,” he said.
On his part, Plateau United’s coach Kennedy Boboye commended his players for giving the experienced Tunisian side a good fight.
He said that his team played well even as they failed to utilise the goal scoring chances they had in the match.
He however said they would use the Champions League experience to strategise and do well in the CAF Confederation Cup which they have now dropped into.
NAN reports that the two Nigerian representatives in this year’s Champions League, Plateau United and MFM FC, will now play in the Confederation Cup.
On the other hand, Enyimba International Football Club of Aba yesterday qualified for the group stage of the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup.
The former African champions defeated Energie Football Club of Benin Republic 3-2 in the second leg tie of their qualifying round fixture at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar.
The Aba Elephants had earlier defeated their opponents 2-0 in the first leg tie at the Stade De Lamite in Cotonou, thus qualifying on a 5-2 aggregate.
Enyimba’s Abdulrahaman Bashir opened scoring in the first minute of the first half and the Benin side equalised early in the second half through Santou Aime.
Enyimba regained the lead through Chinonso Okonkwo, but the Energie boys also made it 2-2 before a penalty kick was awarded to the home team in the dying minutes. (NAN)