Rangers, El-kanemi knocked out as Nigeria’s continental campaign ends
By Tosin Omojola
Nigeria’s Rangers International and El-Kanemi Warriors were on Friday night knocked out of the CAF club competitions, leaving the country without any surviving representatives on the continent.
The exits mean all four Nigerian clubs in this season’s continental competitions have crashed out at the early stages.
Rangers International, Nigeria’s last surviving club in the CAF Champions League, squandered a 2-0 first-leg advantage, losing 3-0 to MC Algiers of Algeria in the return leg.
The Flying Antelopes held their hosts to a goalless draw in the first half but crumbled under sustained pressure after the break, allowing the Algerian side to win the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
In Casablanca, El-Kanemi Warriors saw their continental campaign come to an end after conceding two late goals in their second-leg encounter against Raja Casablanca.
The Nigerian side had frustrated their hosts in front of their vociferous supporters for much of the encounter but conceded twice in the closing minutes to suffer a 2-4 aggregate defeat.
El-Kanemi had been held to a 2-2 draw by the Moroccan side in the first leg at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne.
Rivers United and Shooting Stars of Ibadan had earlier exited the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, respectively, in the first round.
The early elimination of all four Nigerian representatives raises concerns about the country’s standing in African club football and the possibility of a reduction in the number of slots allocated to Nigeria in future continental competitions.
