CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: ENYIMBA ANNIHILATE RAHIMO, KANO PILLARS OUT, OTHER RESULTS
A first-half goal and four more in the second were all it took for Enyimba Football Club to overturn a first-leg loss and advance to the first round of the CAF Champions League with a 5-0 win against 10-man Rahimo FC at the Enyimba Stadium yesterday, 25th August 2019.
Having lost 0-1 in the first leg in Ougadougou a fortnight ago, the People's Elephant required a two-goal margin win but got much more as Reuben Bala and Stanley Dimgba's braces added to Stanley Okorom's first ever Enyimba goal to give the two times CAF champions league champions a commanding 5-1 aggregate win.
There was early sign of danger for the Burkinabe champions when their numerical strength was reduced nine minutes into the match.
Zonon Issouf who provided the lone goal that nailed Enyimba in the first leg was shown the way out by the referee for stamping his foot on Enyimba’s Ghanaian defender, Emmanuel Ampia.
Enyimba made their numerical advantage count, pouring onto the visitors.
Enyimba’s first goal in the 24th minute by captain Godwin Abalogun who expertly planted his left-foot shot into the top far corner was ruled out by the second assistant referee’s flag, adjudging Stanley Dimgba who provided the assist was in an offside position.
The breakthrough for the People’s Elephant eventually came a minute past the half hour mark when Reuben Bala fired an incredible free kick into the far corner despite a crowd of defenders with goalkeeper Traore Moussa fully stretched to his left-hand side.
Nevertheless, the visitors showed some level of resilience which almost paid off in the 38th minute when a cross from the left was not properly dealt with by defender Nelson Ogbonnaya, providing Cisse Mody with a glorious opportunity to test goalkeeper Afelokhai from close range.
During the break, Emmanuel Ampia was substituted by Stanley Okorom, a decision necessitated by the pains inflicted by Zonon Issouf’s stamping on his lower abdomen.
Okorom made an instant impact doubling Enyimba’s lead on the 46th minute with a cool finish inside the area.
The 2-0 advantage to Enyimba forced out Rahimo players in search of an away goal.
But it was Enyimba who came close to getting a third goal on 69th minute when Cyril Olisema forced an audacious save from goalkeeper Traore Moussa who pushed the ball against the woodwork for a corner.
Stanley Dimgba put his name on the score sheet in the 78th minute, cutting in from the left to fire into the top corner.
Despite a 3-0 lead, and 3-1 on aggregate, Enyimba kept surging forward and with only four minutes left on the clock, Reuben Bala got his brace of the night with a ferocious low strike from 35 yards out to ensure no single drop of hope for Bukinabes champions.
Despite the huge lead, Enyimba were relentless, an effort that put Stanley Dimgba on the scoresheet for Enyimba’s fifth goal when he was set up by Stanley Okorom from a corner kick.
With this 5-1 aggregate win, the people’s elephant have sealed a place in the Second Preliminary Round of the 2019/2020 CAF Champions League and will now face Sudanese side Al Hilal in the next round with the first leg to hold in Aba in mid-September.
Speaking after his side's five-star display, coach of Enyimba, Usman Abd'allah expressed relief with his team's performance, adding that there's still work to be done.
Elsewhere,
At the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko proved too strong for Nigeria's Aiteo Cup champions, Kano Pillars as a 2-0 home win was enough to earn the Porcupine Warriors qualification to the next round of the competition.
An early strike from Matthew Kelvin Andoh and an Emmanuel Gyamfi second-half effort ultimately proved decisive in the preliminary round second leg fixture largely dominated by the hosts.
With the first leg ending 3-2 in favour of the Nigerians, Kotoko qualifies for the first round on a 4-3 aggregate where they are billed to face Tunisian giants, Etoile du Sahel in September.
CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULTS
Some Results from other centers.
Friday, 23 August 2019
Al Ahly (Egypt) 9-0 Atlabara (South Sudan) (4-0)
KCCA (Uganda) 2-0 African Stars (Namibia) (2-3)
Saturday, 24 August 2019
El Merreikh (Sudan) 3-2 JS Kabylie (Algeria) (0-1)
Zamalek (Egypt) 6-0 Dekadaha (Somalia) (7-0)
Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) 7-1 Hafia (Guinea) (1-2)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) 4-0 AS Otoho (Congo) (1-2)
Zesco United (Zambia) 1-0 Green Mamba (Eswatini) (2-0)
Orlando Pirates (South Africa) 1-1 Green Eagles (Zambia) (0-1)
Sunday, 25 August 2019
Horoya (Guinea) 1-0 Stade Malien (Mali) (1-1)
AS Vita (Cameroon) 1-0 UMS de Loum (Cameroon) (0-0)
El Hilal (Sudan) 0-0 Rayon Sports (Rwanda) (1-1)
Enyimba (Nigeria) 5-0 Rahimo (Burkina Faso) (0-1)
USM Alger (Algeria) vs SONIDEP (Niger) (2-1)
Gor Mahia (Kenya) 5-1 Aigle Noir (Burundi) (0-0)
Asante Kotoko (Ghana) 2-0 Kano Pillars (Nigeria) (2-3)
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