Nigerian champions Enyimba FC thrashed Ivorian side FC San Pedro 5-2 in Abidjan to advance to the quarter finals of the 2019/20 Total CAF Confederation Cup (TotalCAFCC).
The People’s Elephant only needed to avoid defeat against the Group D’s bottom placed side to advance to the final eight but they did it in grand style, scoring five times for the second time this season.
Enyimba made a fast start to the game, going in front courtesy of striker Abdulrahman Bashir in the second minute before Victor Mbaoma made it two ninety seconds later.
San Pedro’s Nigeria born left back Sheriff Jimoh halved the deficit in the sixth minute but Austin Oladapo’s long range effort restored Enyimba’s two-goal cushion before Zan Bi made it 2-3 for the Ivorians one minute before the break.
Enyimba defender Ifeanyi Anaemena went off injured at the start of the second half and goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai made a couple of superb saves to keep his side’s lead before late strikes by Mbaoma and Stanley Dimgba secured Enyimba’s win.
Enyimba, coached by Fatai Osho thus qualified for the quarter final stage alongside Hassania Agadir in Group D despite the Moroccans losing at home to Paradou of Algeria 0-3.
The draw for the quarter final stage will be held on Wednesday, 5 February 2020, at the Hilton Pyramids Golf Hotel (El Wahat Road, 6th of October) in Cairo, Egypt at 7pm local time (6PM WAT)
In Enugu, Nigeria’s other representative Rangers International were held to a 1-1 draw by Egyptian side Al Masry in a dead rubber match.
Mahmoud Wadi spurned a badly set offside trap to give the visitors the lead in the sixth minute but in-form Ifeanyi George equalised in the 20th minute when he jabbed home Isaac Loute’s free kick.
Rangers end a second consecutive group stage participation in the Confederation Cup without progressing beyond the last 16.
