Enugu Rangers narrowly escaped an upset at the hands of Comoros side, US Zilimadjou, during the second leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo on Friday.
The match ended in a surprising 1-1 draw against the Comoros team, highlighting the continued struggles of Nigerian clubs in CAF inter-club competitions.
Despite the draw, Enugu Rangers advanced to the next round with a narrow 2-1 aggregate victory over US Zilimadjou.
The Nigerian side had difficulty containing their opponents, managing only a precarious 1-0 win in the first leg, also played in Uyo, because of US Zilimadjou’s lack of an approved home ground.
Enugu Rangers faced a stiff second-leg test and only scored in the 79th minute through Augustine Kenechukwu. However, US Zilimadjou equalised just six minutes later.
ALSO READ: CAF Champions League: Rangers coach, captain reflect on first leg victory
This result presupposes that the outcome might have differed if US Zilimadjou had played on home turf. Nigeria’s football league is ranked 12th on the continent, while the Comoros league is unranked.
Nigeria Professional Football League champions Enugu Rangers scraped through to the next round. They will look ahead to breaking the group stage hoodoo in the CAF Champions League, a feat last achieved by Lobi Stars in 2009.
Rangers will now prepare to face the winner of the match between Saint Louis Suns United of the Seychelles and Sagrada Esperança of Angola in the next round.
Support PREMIUM TIMES’ journalism of integrity and credibility
At Premium Times, we firmly believe in the importance of high-quality journalism. Recognizing that not everyone can afford costly news subscriptions, we are dedicated to delivering meticulously researched, fact-checked news that remains freely accessible to all.
Whether you turn to Premium Times for daily updates, in-depth investigations into pressing national issues, or entertaining trending stories, we value your readership.
It’s essential to acknowledge that news production incurs expenses, and we take pride in never placing our stories behind a prohibitive paywall.
Would you consider supporting us with a modest contribution on a monthly basis to help maintain our commitment to free, accessible news?
TEXT AD: Call Willie – +2348098788999
