Enugu Rangers and El-Kanemi Warriors have discovered their opponents for the next stage of their respective CAF campaigns, with both Nigerian clubs facing significantly tougher tests after surviving the opening round.
Rangers, who dramatically eliminated Benin Republic champions AS Sobemap on penalties in Lomé, will now face Algerian champions MC Alger in the second and final preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
The Flying Antelopes secured their passage after another 1-1 draw with Sobemap left the tie level at 2-2 on aggregate. Rangers eventually prevailed 5-4 in the penalty shootout after recovering from an early miss to convert their next five attempts.
Their next opponents, however, arrive with an emphatic statement of their own.
MC Alger advanced after sweeping aside Niger’s ASN Nigelec 5-0 on aggregate, setting up a considerably more demanding assignment for Rangers as they continue their pursuit of a place in the Champions League group stage.
The Algerian champions will provide a different challenge from Sobemap, with Rangers now needing to build on the resilience that carried them through the first round while addressing the finishing concerns that surfaced across their two matches against the Beninese side.
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Rangers created promising situations over the course of the tie but could not turn enough of those opportunities into decisive goals, eventually needing penalties to settle a contest they had twice been unable to win in regulation time.
El-Kanemi Warriors route to the next round was less dramatic but equally hard earned. The Maiduguri side will face Morocco’s Raja Casablanca in the next stage of the CAF Confederation Cup after protecting the advantage they established in the first leg against UDIB of Guinea-Bissau.
El-Kanemi entered the second leg with a commanding 3-0 lead and, despite suffering a 1-0 defeat away from home, advanced 3-1 on aggregate.
Nnamdi Mejuobi’s two goals in the opening encounter had put El-Kanemi firmly in control before Dayo Wahab completed the first leg victory. UDIB managed to score in the return fixture, but the Nigerian side had built enough of a cushion to withstand the setback.
Raja Casablanca is surely a major step up in opposition and will demand far more from El-Kanemi as they attempt to progress further in the Confederation Cup.
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Rangers and El-Kanemi remain in contention after negotiating their opening hurdles, while Rivers United and Shooting Stars have seen their continental campaigns come to an end.
Rivers United were eliminated by FC San Pedro after a 2-2 draw in Uyo left the Ivorian side ahead on aggregate, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg. Despite fighting back from two goals down in the return fixture, Rivers could not find the winning goal required to overturn the tie.
Shooting Stars suffered a similar disappointment after surrendering their first leg advantage against CS Sfaxien. Lucky Emmanuel’s goal had given the Ibadan side a 1-0 lead from the opening encounter, but the Tunisians responded with a 2-0 victory in the return leg to advance 2-1 on aggregate.
The result ended Shooting Stars’ first continental campaign in 27 years. Nigeria therefore moves into the next stage with only two clubs still carrying the country’s continental hopes.
MC Alger is the next challenge for Enugu Rangers with the Algerian champions standing between the Flying Antelopes and the CAF Champions’ League group stage.
Meanwhile El-Kanemi Warriors reward for overcoming UDIB is a heavyweight Confederation Cup assignment against Raja Casablanca.
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