Former Champions League winners Enyimba got their CAF Confederation Cup campaign off to a bright start with a straightforward 2-0 victory over Beninoise side Energie FC but their compatriots Akwa United went down to Libyan side Al-Ittihad Tripoli.
Due to their pedigree in African football, Enyimba received a bye from the preliminary round of this year’s competition and traveled to neighbours Benin for the first leg of their first round tie against power company side Energie.
Paul Aigbogun’s men made hay while the evening sun shone on the Stade de l’Amitie and were given a gift of an opener after just four minutes when Energie defender Bolarinwa Lawal’s backward header to his goalkeeper missed the intended target and rolled into the net.
Enyimba then made it two five minutes later through Austine Oladapo and held on for eighty minutes to give themselves a very healthy advantage ahead of the return leg in Calabar in ten days time.
Nigeria’s other flag bearer in the Confederation Cup, Akwa United were handed a 1-0 defeat by their opponents Al-Ittihad in a game decided in Sfax, Tunisa.
Abdu Maikaba’s men thought they had held their hosts to a stalemate but striker Eisa Muad headed home with eight minutes left on the clock to give Diego Garzitto’s men a slender advantage going into the second leg.
The decisive leg will hold on March 18 at the Nest of Champions in Uyo.
