Saturday, April 20, 2024

CAF Champions League: Nigerian clubs missing as 16 teams progress into group stage

Nigerian teams continue to flounder on the continent’s big stage, a sad departure from the greater years of yore.

• January 8, 2021
TOPSHOT – This picture shows the trophy prior to the draw of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Champions league at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Cairo on December 28, 2018. (Photo by MOHAMED EL-SHAHED / AFP) (Photo credit should read MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP/Getty Images

Following the conclusion of the first-round, second-leg matches in the 2020/21 CAF Champions league on 5 and 6 January, 2021, 16 elite football teams have emerged for the second round of Africa’s top club championship.

Incidentally, no Nigerian club will feature in the next round as Nigerian teams continue to flounder on the continent’s big stage, a sad departure from the greater years of yore.

Nigeria’s sole representative and former champion, Enyimba crashed out of the competition after losing to Sudanese side Al-Merreikh 4-2 on aggregate.

A CAF release shows the following teams are through to the Group stage of the competition.

First-named teams hosted the second leg and the first-leg results are in brackets, with the qualifiers named.

  1. Wydad Casablanca, Morocco 3-0 Stade Malien, Mali (0-1) – Wydad Casablanca qualified on 3-1 goal aggregate.
  2. Raja Casablanca, Morocco 0-0 Teungueth, Senegal (0-0) – Teungueth through on 3-1 penalties.
  3. Horoya, Guinea 1-0 RC Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (1-1) – Horoya qualify on 2-1 aggregate.
  4. Al Ahly, Egypt 4-0 AS SONIDEP, Niger (1-0) – Al Ahly through on 5-0 aggregate.
  5. Espérance de Tunis,Tunisia 3-2 Al Ahly Benghazi, Libya (0-0) – Espérance through on 3-2 aggregate.
  6. TP Mazembe, DR Congo 2-1 AS Bouenguidi, Gabon (2-1) – Mazembe qualify on 4-2 aggregate.
  7. Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa 3-1 Jwaneng Galaxy, Botswana (2-0) – Sundowns through on 5-1 aggregate.
  8. AS Vita Club, DR Congo 4-1 Young Buffaloes, Eswatini (2-2) – AS Vita qualify on 6-3 aggregate.
  9. 1º de Agosto, Angola 0-1 Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa (0-0) – Kaizer Chiefs through on 1-0 aggregate.

10 Enyimba, Nigeria 2-1 Al Merrikh, Sudan (0-3) – Al Merrikh qualify on 4-2 aggregate.

11 Al Hilal, Sudan walked over Asante Kotoko, Ghana (1-0) – Al Hilal through on walkover after winning the first leg 1-0.

12 CS Sfaxien, Tunisia 1-0 MC Alger, Algeria (0-2) – MC Alger through on 2-1 aggregate.

13 Petro de Luanda, Angola 1-0 Nkana, Zambia (1-1) – Petro through on 2-1 aggregate.

14 Simba, Tanzania 4-0 FC Platinum, Zimbabwe (0-1) – Simba through on 4-1 aggregate.

15 Gor Mahia, Kenya 1-2 CR Belouizdad, Algeria (0-6) – Belouizdad through on 8-1 aggregate.

16 Note – Gazelle failed to appear for the first leg in Cairo against Zamalek following disputes between the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the country and the Chadian Football Federation, which prevented players and officials from traveling to Egypt. As a result, Gazelle were disqualified from the competition by CAF, and Zamalek won on walkover

According to CAF, the 16 winners advance to the group stage while the 16 losers enter the Confederation Cup play-off round.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

President Bola Tinubu

Economy

Nigeria’s investment climate boosted by critical reforms, says Tinubu

“Our doors are open for economic opportunities and trade.’’

States

NSCDC nabs two suspected electricity cable vandals in Katsina

Mr Buhari said one of the suspects, Sani, belonged to a team of a notorious syndicate.

Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan-Enoh

Sport

Ministry signs N35 billion MoU with firm for sports development

Mr Enoh said that the partnership would help to inject funding into sports development from the private sector.

KEROSENE PUMP

Economy

Kerosene price stood at N1,354.40 in March: NBS

It said the South-South recorded the lowest average retail price per litre of kerosene at N1,273.07.

Ahmed Ododo

States

Gov. Ododo warns against breach of peace

My administration will no doubt resist any attempt to instigate violent protests in any part of the state under any guise