Enyimba progress as Rangers crash out of Champions League

Nigerian clubs’ coefficient in Africa is under threat again as the country will have only one representative in the group stage of CAF inter-club competitions this season.

Nine-time Nigerian champions Enyimba Football Club of Aba qualified for the group stage of this season’s CAF Confederation Cup after a 3-2 penalty shootout win over Etoile de Filante of Burkina Faso in Uyo on Sunday, but the story was different for reigning Nigeria Premier Football League champions, Enugu Rangers, who failed to make the group stage of the CAF Champions League.

Rangers lost 3-2 on aggregate to Angolan club Sagrada Esperanca of Angola as their return to the continent after a decade was cut short in Luanda.

They had unconvincingly won the first leg 1-0 in Uyo before falling to a 3-1 defeat in Angola on Sunday.

Enyimba’s win didn’t come without a drama either, as they needed penalties to advance to the group stage of the Confederation Cup despite playing the return leg at home.

Both legs of the game ended goalless.

In the penalty shootout, the Aba giants scored their first two kicks, while their opponents missed their first.

Enyimba also missed two consecutive kicks, but their blushes were saved when Filante also missed another one before levelling the shootout 2-2.

After Enyimba had scored their last kick, Filante again missed theirs as the shootout ended 3-2.

The former Nigerian champions, who have won two CAF Champions League titles, had missed out on the continent for two consecutive seasons before securing this season’s ticket.

Nigeria had four clubs in the preliminary round of CAF competitions, but President Federation Cup winners, El-Kanemi Warriors and Remo Stars, failed to advance beyond the first round.

For Nigeria to present four clubs next season, Enyimba will have to reach the quarterfinals of the Confederation Cup at least.

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