IT has been a sad day for Nigerian football as the country’s two representatives in the CAF Champions League, Enyimba and Remo Stars, were eliminated today.
First to crash out in the preliminary round ties were Nigeria Premier Football League champions Enyimba, who succumbed to Libya’s Ahli Benghazi.
The 2003 and 2004 African champions were knocked out 4-3 on aggregate after they were held to a 0-0 draw in Aba today.
Having lost 4-3 in the first leg in Libya last week, all Enyimba needed was a 1-0, 2-1 or even 3-2 home victory but Finidi George’s side fired blanks and have been sent packing.
On their part, Remo Stars defeated Ghana’s Medeama Sports Club 1-0 in the second leg of their tie today but it was not enough for the Nigerian league runners-up to scale through.
With the tie level 1-1 on aggregate — Medeama won the first leg 1-0 in Ghana last week — a penalty shootout was needed to separate the sides, and the visitors won 4-3 in Ikenne, Ogun State.
The only positive for Nigeria this weekend was Bendel Insurance’s progress in the CAF Confederation Cup following their penalty shootout victory over ASO Chlef in Algeria.
