Nigeria’s hopes in the CAF Confederation Cup suffered a double blow on Sunday as both Kwara United and Abia Warriors failed to advance past the first preliminary stage of the competition.
At the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Kwara United, who trailed Asante Kotoko 4-3 from the first leg in Accra, were eliminated after falling 1-0 at home to the Ghanaian champions. Hubert Gyau’s clinical second-half strike sealed a 5-3 aggregate victory for Kotoko, who proved resilient in the face of sustained pressure from the Harmony Boys.
The hosts had early chances, with Aliu Salawudeen coming close midway through the first half after Kotoko’s goalkeeper, Camara Mohamed, failed to deal with a corner. But his follow-up sailed off target, to the frustration of the home crowd.
Kotoko, however, capitalised on a defensive lapse in the 54th minute, when Gyau dispossessed a Kwara defender and rifled in a fierce volley that left Suraj Ayeleso rooted to the spot. Kwara’s attempts at a late comeback were denied, as Bright Babatunde saw his 67th-minute effort cleared by a retreating Kotoko defence.
Meanwhile, in Bamako, Abia Warriors also bowed out of the competition, losing 1-0 to Mali’s Djoliba after a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg in Uyo. The defeat handed the Malian giants a 2-1 aggregate passage into the next round, ending Nigeria’s representation at this early stage of the tournament.
The twin exits highlight another disappointing outing for Nigerian clubs on the continental stage, with both teams falling short of making an impact beyond the preliminary hurdle.
