Stanley Dimgba of Enyimba against Baye Ibrahim Niasse of Raja during the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup match between Enyimba FC of Nigeria v Raja Club Athletic of Morocco on October 3rd 2018 at Enyimba International Stadium,Aba © Kabiru Abubakar/fotodezamora
2019/20 CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Two-time champions Enyimba FC yesterday hammered Rahimo FC of Burkina Faso 5-0 in the second leg of the first round of this year’s CAF Champions League to set up second round clash with either Rayon Sports FC of Rwanda or Sudan’s Al-Hilal Omdurman.
The People’s Elephant had lost the first leg 0-1 away last week before dismantling the Burkinabes yesterday in the game played behind closed gates on the orders of CAF. The Aba stadium lacks electronic score board, adequate flood light as well as CCTV cameras.
Reuben Bala and Stanley Dimgba scored a brace each with substitute Stanley Okorom also on the scorers sheet as Enyimba raced away in celebration.
However, the result was the opposite for Nigeria’s other representatives in the competition as Kano Pillars were bundled out by Ghana’s Asante Kotoko.
The Sai Masu Gida who won the first leg 3-2 at home in Kano lost 2-0 yesterday to the Porcupine Warriors inside the Baba Yara Stadium in Accra to crash out 4-3 on aggregate.
Asante Kotoko’s reward for reaching the final qualifying round of the 2019/20CAF Champions League is a date with Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel next month.
The last time Kotoko reached the group stage of the CAF Champions League was in 2006.
The first leg will be in Kumasi on the weekend of 13–15 September and the return leg in Sousse a fortnight later.Etoile du Sahel last won the competition in 2007.
In the CAF Confederations Cup, Enugu Rangers will face the winners of the AS Pelican (Gabon) and AS Maniema Union (DR Congo) tie in the second round. Rangers will first play away.
The first legs will hold between September 13 and 15 with the reverse fixture two weeks later.
On Saturday, former winners Orlando Pirates of South Africa suffered an early exit from the CAF Champions League after a 2-1 aggregate defeat to debutants Green Eagles of Zambia.
Orlando Pirates, who won the trophy in 1995, went into their home match trailing 1-0 from the first leg of the preliminary round tie.
It started well for the hosts, when a Happy Jele header on the hour put the Buccaneers 1-0 up to level the tie overall.
Their second-leg advantage lasted just one minute before Amit Shamende scored for Green Eagles to make it 1-1 on the night and 2-1 to the Zambians on aggregate.
The defeat completed an unsettled week for Orlando Pirates who are currently being guided by caretaker coach Rhulani Mokwena following the departure of coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic.
In contrast, Micho, now coach of Egyptian giants Zamalek, enjoyed a winning Champions League night with his new club as Zamalek trounced Dekedaha of Somalia 6-0.
Mostafa Mohamed and Mahmoud Shikabala bagged a brace each as Zamalek completed a record-equalling 13-0 overall triumph.