Black Sunday for Nigeria as Enyimba, Remo Stars Knocked out

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Femi Solaja 

The jinx of Nigerian clubs failing to reach the money-spinning stage of the CAF Champions League continued yesterday as two-time former champions, Enyimba of Aba, and new entrant, Remo Stars of Ikenne, failed to progress to the next stage of the topmost club competition in the continent.

In Aba, Nigeria’s most successful club, Enyimba, played a goalless draw with visiting Libyan side, Al Ahly Benghazi and thus got eliminated 3-4 on aggregate. 

The Libyans won the first leg by a slim 4-3 margin last week, giving hope of redemption to the Aba Elephant to progress at home.

Playing at their forte inside the Enyimba Stadium in Aba, the hosts dominated the proceedings but it was Benghazi’s game-plan to shut out the Nigerians that worked perfectly.

The former African champions continued to press the Libyan side but found it extremely difficult to break down their water-tight defence with the first half ending goalless. 

The second half resumed with the Nigerian side throwing everything forward to break the deadlock but Benghazi put in everything to nullify the threat. 

The biggest chance in the second half fell to George Owen in the 75th minute but fired across the goal line. 

Even the added six minutes failed to give Enyimba the desired result to move on, thus crashing out of the competition 4-3 on aggregate. 

In Ikenne, Remo Stars cancelled out their 1-0 deficit from the first leg against Medeama SC in Cape Coast last week but lost out 3-2 in the ensuing penalty shootouts.

The  capacity crowd had to endure pains for greater part of the match as the home side pressed hard for a goal but the Ghanaian side were more purposeful at holding their line.

The stadium raptured into celebration in the 70th minute when Remo  scored from a goal-mouth scramble. It  took the eagle eye of the assistant referee 1 who signalled to the centre referee that the ball had crossed the line before awarding  the hosts the goal that cancelled out their 1-0 defeat from the first leg in Cape Coast last week. 

That equaliser dragged the match straight into penalty shootouts but nerves failed Remo in the eventual spot kicks, crashing out 3-2.