Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs are facing a challenging situation in African competitions, with only one team set to represent the country in the group stage of the CAF inter-club competitions this season.
Enyimba Football Club of Aba, a nine-time Nigerian champion, managed to secure a spot in the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup after a thrilling 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Etoile de Filante of Burkina Faso in Uyo.
However, the reigning NPFL champions, Enugu Rangers, failed to progress to the group stage of the CAF Champions League, losing 3-2 on aggregate to Sagrada Esperanca of Angola.
This means that Enyimba will be the only NPFL club that will represent Nigeria on the continent this season.
Enyimba’s journey to the group stage was not without drama, as they had to rely on penalties to advance despite playing the return leg at home, with both legs ending goalless.
The Aba-based team displayed resilience in the penalty shootout, ultimately securing their spot in the group stage.
This victory holds significance for Enyimba, as they had missed out on continental competitions for two consecutive seasons before securing their place this season.
With NPFL having had four clubs in the preliminary round of CAF competitions this season, it is clear that the country’s representation in future continental club competitions is contingent on Enyimba’s performance, as they will need to reach the quarterfinals of the Confederation Cup at least for Nigeria to present four clubs next season.
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