Remo Stars, Enyimba out of CAF Champions League

Enyimba and Remo Stars were knocked out of the CAF Champions League…yesterday.

• Insurance draw RS Berkane in Confederation Cup

Former champions, Enyimba Football Club (FC) of Aba, and Remo Stars were, yesterday, kicked out of the 2023/24 CAF Champions League by Libya’s Al Ahly Benghazi and Medeama FC of Ghana respectively in the first round of the competition’s qualifying series.

The two Nigerian teams in Africa’s elite club competition were tipped to make the second round following their impressive narrow defeats in the first legs of the play-offs a week ago.

The Libyans needed a last-minute goal to beat Enyimba 4-3 in Benghazi, while Remo Stars created chances in Ghana, but failed to get the goal that would have made the game, which they lost 0-1, a draw. But they got the scripts wrong in the decisive home legs.

Yesterday in Aba, Al Ahly Benghazi locked up their defence and prevented Enyimba from getting the solitary goal they needed to remain in the competition.

In Ikenne, Remo Stars redeemed the goal they conceded in Cape Coast, but their nerves failed them in the eventual penalty shootout. They thus crashed out 3-2 after a 1-1 aggregate scoreline.

The goal that could have saved Remo Stars in the last minute of the added time was chalked off by the Ivoirian referee.

Meanwhile, Bendel Insurance, who survived Algeria’s Aso Chlef in the first round of the CAF Confederation Cup competition on Saturday, have been drawn against Renaissance Sportive de Berkane (RSB) of Morocco in the second round.

Bendel Insurance of Benin will host the first leg at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on September 16.

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