Enyimba International are through to the quarter-final phase of the CAF Confederation Cup after they secured a hard-earned 1-0 win over Congolese team, CARA Brazzaville, on Wednesday.
Playing in Aba for the first time in almost three years, owing to renovation works at the Aba International Stadium, the Peoples Elephant left it late before snatching the crucial win over the visiting CARA Brazzaville team.
It was super sub, Wale Alalade, that got the solitary goal for Enyimba in stoppage time.
Alalade’s shot off Mfon Udoh’s freekick in added time earned Enyimba maximum points to win the group and qualify for the last eight.
It wasn’t all gloom for the visiting CARA of Brazzaville team. Even though they were toppled from the group leadership, they also progress despite their defeat.
Enyimba won the group on 12 points, while CARA finished runners-up with nine points after Williamsville of Cote d’Ivoire could only manage a goalless draw in Abidjan with bottom team Djoliba of Mali.
In the quarterfinal pairings, CARA will now battle Group D winners USMA of Algeria, who beat Gor Mahia from Kenya 2-1 in their final group game earlier today.
On their part, Enyimba will be facing Rwanda’s Rayon Sport in the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal.
No Nigerian team has won the CAF Confederation Cup in its present format and many believe Enyimba who are Nigeria’s only CAF Champions League winners can also break the jinx in the continent’s second-tier club competition.
