Egypt’s Pyramids knock Enyimba out of CAF Confed Cup

NIGERIA’S interest in continental football for the year was ended on Sunday with the elimination of Enyimba from the CAF Confederation Cup.

The two-time CAF Champions League winners were held to a 1-1 draw in Aba by Egyptian club Pyramids FC, who advanced to the semi-finals.

Having won the first leg 4-1 in Egypt last week, Pyramids won the tie 5-2 on aggregate.

Despite complaining about their arduous road trip from Port Harcourt to Aba due to the poor state of Nigerian roads, it was the Egyptians who took the lead at the Enyimba Stadium.

After a quick start in search of an early goal, Enyimba fell behind in the 32nd minute to Ibrahim Adel’s goal.

The strike all but ended Enyimba’s hopes of a miraculous comeback as they then needed to score five goals to turn it around.

The Aba Elephant did get one goal though and at least avoided a home defeat.

Super Eagles forward Anayo Iwuala curled in a superb effort to make it 1-1 in the afternoon, five minutes before the break.

Enyimba would take the tie into extra-time if they could score three second-half goals, but they were frustrated by the Egyptians who reached their second consecutive CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals.