Nigeria recorded mixed fortunes in CAF inter-club competitions at the weekend as Rangers International and El-Kanemi Warriors advanced to the next round, while Rivers United and Shooting Stars saw their continental campaigns come to an end.
Rangers produced the most dramatic qualification of the Nigerian contingent, overcoming Benin Republic champions AS Sobemap 5-4 on penalties in Lomé after another 1-1 draw left their CAF Champions League preliminary-round tie locked at 2-2 on aggregate.
The Flying Antelopes had been held to a 1-1 draw in the opening leg in Abeokuta and travelled to Lomé knowing there was little margin for error.
Rangers again took the lead in the return encounter, but Sobemap responded in the second half to restore parity and eventually force the contest into a penalty shootout.
The Nigerian champions initially missed their first kick in the shootout but recovered impressively, converting their next five attempts while Sobemap failed with two of theirs as Rangers prevailed 5-4.
The reward for Rangers is a significantly tougher assignment against Algerian champions MC Alger in the second and final preliminary round of the Champions League.
MC Alger booked their place after eliminating Niger’s ASN Nigelec 5-0 on aggregate, setting up a major test for Rangers in their battle to reach the lucrative group stage.
While Rangers survived a nerve-shredding shootout, El-Kanemi Warriors progressed in contrasting circumstances despite suffering defeat in their second leg.
The Maiduguri side lost 1-0 away to UDIB of Guinea-Bissau but their commanding 3-0 advantage from the first leg proved sufficient to send them through 3-1 on aggregate.
El-Kanemi had put themselves firmly in control of the tie in Nigeria, with Nnamdi Mejuobi scoring twice and Dayo Wahab adding another in their emphatic first-leg victory.
UDIB managed to reduce the deficit in the return fixture but could not overturn the damage, allowing El-Kanemi to continue their CAF Confederation Cup journey.
The story was considerably different for Shooting Stars.
The Ibadan club travelled to Tunisia carrying a 1-0 advantage over CS Sfaxien after Lucky Emmanuel’s first-half goal had secured victory in the opening leg in Abeokuta.
However, the advantage disappeared in Tunisia as Sfaxien struck twice without reply to record a 2-0 victory and advance 2-1 on aggregate.
The result brought a painful end to Shooting Stars’ first continental campaign in 27 years, despite entering the decisive second leg with qualification firmly in their hands.
Rivers United also suffered heartbreak in the CAF Champions League.
The Port Harcourt side had secured an encouraging 1-1 draw against San Pedro in Côte d’Ivoire in the opening leg, placing themselves in a promising position ahead of the return fixture in Nigeria.
But San Pedro stunned their hosts by racing into a two-goal advantage.
Rivers United responded with a determined fightback, scoring twice to rescue a 2-2 draw, but their recovery ultimately proved insufficient as the Ivorian side secured passage to the next round.
The weekend therefore leaves Nigeria with two clubs still standing on the continent.
Rangers will continue their pursuit of a place in the CAF Champions League group stage, while El-Kanemi remain alive in the Confederation Cup.
For Rivers United and Shooting Stars, attention will now return to domestic competition following disappointing early exits.
For Rangers and El-Kanemi, however, the continental journey continues — although considerably greater challenges lie ahead.
Nigeria entered the weekend with four clubs fighting to keep their African ambitions alive.
By the end of it, the number had been cut in half: Rangers survived a penalty-shootout thriller, El-Kanemi protected their first-leg advantage, while Rivers United and Shooting Stars were left counting the cost of painful eliminations.
