TotalEnergiesCAFCL: Rivers United progress, Akwa United out

Nigeria’s two representatives in the 2021/2022 Total Energies CAF Champions League; Rivers United and Akwa United had contrasting fortunes in their second leg preliminary round ties on Sunday.

Both teams recorded 1-0 wins in their first leg encounters last Sunday it was Rivers United that made the most of the advantage from an away win against Young Africans of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.

The Pride of Rivers saw out the return leg in Port Harcourt, winning by same 1-0 scoreline. Substitute Uche Onwuasonaya scored the game’s only goal nine minutes from time, showing great composure to finish off a superb piece of work by Rafiu Ishaq.

Stanley Eguma’s men advanced 2-0 on aggregate and will face Al Hilal of Sudan in the next round of the competition. Winner of the United/Hilal game will progress to the group stage of the CAF Champions League while the losers drop down to the Confederation Cup.

In a related development, Rivers United’s neighbours and current Nigerian league Champions Akwa United lost 0-2 at Algerian Champions Chabab Belouizdad on Sunday night to crash out of the continental competition 1-2 on aggregate.

The Promise Keepers kept majority of their promise in the first half which ended 0-0 but the team fell like a pack of badly arranged cards in the second half as Belouizdad scored from two set piece goals; a free kick and a penalty.

The defeat meant that Akwa United will now focus preparations on next season’s Nigerian top flight league for their title defence as they ponder on what might have been.

In the CAF Confederation Cup, Aiteo Cup Champions Bayelsa United made light work of Guinea’s Ashanti Golden Boys by beating them 4-2 at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa.

Enterprising forward Inikurogha Okardi scored twice and created one for the Prosperity Boys who will now face Tunisian Cup winners CS Sfaxien in the next round. Favour Martins and Emo James scored the other goals for Bayelsa.

The next round of the CAF competitions will hold on the weekend of October 15 and 22. Former African Champions Enyimba will join in the Confederation Cup at that stage when they face Senegalese side Diambars.