Plateau United, Kano Pillars Exit Caf Competitions
Saturday’s action in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup saw exits for Nigerian sides Plateau United and Kano Pillars respectively, as part of 14 matches played across the continent.
Plateau United put in a solid showing to draw 0-0 away to Tanzanian heavyweights Simba, but it was not enough to overturn a 1-0 home loss from last weekend’s first-leg, preliminary round clash in the Champions League.
Their compatriots Kano Pillars had home advantage in their attempt to overturn a 3-1 deficit against Senegal’s ASC Diaraf, but they too could only play to a goalless stalemate and exited the Confederation Cup with a whimper.
Elsewhere, Kenya’s Gor Mahia put together a thrilling 3-1 home win – thanks to goals from Samuel Onyango, Sydney Ochieng and Nicholas Kipkirui ��� to overcome Rwanda’s APR 4-3 on aggregate in the CAFCL, while Zambia’s NAPSA Stars thumped Ngazi Sport of Comoros 4-1 to complete a 9-2 overall triumph in the CAFCC.
The Champions League also saw progression for CS Sfaxien, AS Bouengiudi, FC Platinum, Nkana, AS SONIDEP, Petro de Luanda, Stade Malien (with Ashanti de Siguiri deemed to have forfeited the match) and South African giants Kaizer Chiefs, who once again underwhelmed in drawing 0-0 at home to rookies Bamenda of Cameroon, but advanced 1-0 overall.
In the Confederation Cup, Sudan’s Al Amal Atbara advanced in impressive comfort, but the same could not be said for South Africa’s Bloemfontein Celtic, who needed penalties to overcome DR Congo’s AS Maniema Union after a 0-2 home defeat.
The second tier competition also saw advancement for Niger’s USGN, while Ghana’s Ashanti Gold were undone by a brace from Olivier Boissy as they lost 2-1 (both on the night and on aggregate) to Burkina Faso side Salitas.
The preliminary rounds for both the Champions League and Confederation Cup will wrap up on Sunday, December 6. The aggregate winners advance into the first round of their respective competitions, with the first round set to hold its first leg matches on December 22-23 and the return legs on January 5-6.
CAF Champions League results, Saturday 5 December
Preliminary round, second-leg. Aggregate score in parenthesis.
Gor Mahia 3-1 APR (4-3)
AS Bouengiudi 2-0 Forest Rangers (2-0)
FC Platinum 2-0 Costa do Sol (4-1)
CS Sfaxien 3-1 Mlandege (8-1)
Nkana 0-0 Bantu (1-0)
Petro de Luanda 2-2 Akonangui (3-2)
Simba 0-0 Plateau United (1-0)
Mogadishu City 0-0 AS SONIDEP (0-2)
Stade Malien 3-0 (walkover) Ashanti de Siguiri (5-1)
Kaizer Chiefs 0-0 PWD Bamenda (1-0)
CAF Confederation Cup results, Saturday 5 December
Preliminary round, second-leg. Aggregate score in parenthesis.
KVZ 0-3 Al Amal Atbara (0-4)
Kano Pillars 0-0 ASC Diaraf (1-3)
NAPSA Stars 4-1 Ngazi Sport (9-2)
Bloemfontein Celtic 0-2 AS Maniema Union (2-2 – Celtic won 3-2 on penalties)
Salitas 2-1 Ashanti Gold (2-1)
USGN 1-1 Yeelen Olympique (2-1) (African Football)