Akpeyi
CAF CONFED/CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Warri Wolves emerged as the last Glo Premier League club standing in CAF inter-club competitions after Kano Pillars and Enyimba crashed out at the weekend. The fourth Nigerian club, Dolphins, had earlier been disqualified from the CAF Confederation Cup following their failure to keep to time for their match at Club Africain in Tunisia.
Wolves gave Nigeria something to cheer as they held on to their two-goal lead from the first leg to edge out Dedebit FC of Ethiopia. Once again, Super Eagles goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, was the hero in a tough performance for Wolves in Addis Ababa. Akpeyi saved a spot kick in the first half, the third time he is pulling off such heroic in less than a month.
Akpeyi continued with a superb second half performance that saw him pull off saves after saves to keep Dedebit at bay and ensure the match ended goalless.
Wolves gave Nigeria something to cheer as they held on to their two-goal lead from the first leg to edge out Dedebit FC of Ethiopia. Once again, Super Eagles goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi, was the hero in a tough performance for Wolves in Addis Ababa. Akpeyi saved a spot kick in the first half, the third time he is pulling off such heroic in less than a month.
Akpeyi continued with a superb second half performance that saw him pull off saves after saves to keep Dedebit at bay and ensure the match ended goalless.
Wolves have now progressed to the second round of the CAF Confederation Cup and will FC MK Etanchéité of DR Congo.
The Warri club will host the first leg on April 18 while the return leg takes place in Kinshasa on the weekend of May 1-3.
Glo Premier League champions, Kano Pillars' chances of progressing to the second round of the CAF Champions League always looked in doubt after a 4-0 defeat at Moghreb Atletic de Tetouan a fortnight ago.
And things got worse for the Nigerian champions as Mouchine Iajour - the man who scored a hat-trick in the first leg - struck first in Kano on Saturday. The Moroccan striker scored just 33 minutes into the match at the Sani Abacha Stadium and took the aggregate to 5-0 as silence fell on the intimidating ground that the Kano stadium is known for.
Second half goals from Tony Edjomariegwe and Rabiu Ali could only give Kano Pillars a face saving 2-1 win on the day but it was just too little as they were eliminated 5-2 on aggregate. Kano Pillars will now look back on their brief campaign in Africa's apex club competition and wonder what they have done wrong for the third successive year of playing in the competition as Nigerian champions.
For the Peoples Elephant, it was a sad end to their CAF Champions League campaign as well. Enyimba took a one-goal lead to Egypt to face Smouha Sporting Club, and that advantage proved too slim to see them edge their opponents and reach the next round.
Enyimba goalkeeper Femi Thomas did enough to make sure his team ended the first half goalless and protect their 1-0 lead. The two-time African champions looked like they would make hay in Alexandria on Sunday until Kingsley Sokari was sent off for a second bookable offence. That proved to be the advantage Smouha needed to unlock Enyimba.
With ten minutes to time, Smouha got a spot kick and Hani Al Egeizi levelled the score at 1-1 on aggregate. It looked like the game was headed for penalties but right at the end of the game, Enyimba conceded a second goal scored by Hermann Kouao. It was heartbreak for the Nigerian clubs in the CAF Champions League as their campaign ended early.
Enyimba goalkeeper Femi Thomas did enough to make sure his team ended the first half goalless and protect their 1-0 lead. The two-time African champions looked like they would make hay in Alexandria on Sunday until Kingsley Sokari was sent off for a second bookable offence. That proved to be the advantage Smouha needed to unlock Enyimba.
With ten minutes to time, Smouha got a spot kick and Hani Al Egeizi levelled the score at 1-1 on aggregate. It looked like the game was headed for penalties but right at the end of the game, Enyimba conceded a second goal scored by Hermann Kouao. It was heartbreak for the Nigerian clubs in the CAF Champions League as their campaign ended early.
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