Unless miracles happen in the away legs of their CAF Confederation Cup, two of Nigeria’s representatives in the competition, MFM of Lagos and Plateau United, will fail to make the group stage of the championship. The teams, which played their different matches at the Agege Stadium at the weekend, were unconvincing as they allowed the visiting teams to run away with the advantage.
For MFM, it is a near-impossible task as they lost 0-1 at home to Mali’s Djoliba FC. Plateau United fared a little better as they beat USM Algiers 2-1.
Both teams were knocked out of the Champions League in the first round, which meant they had to drop down to the second tier Confederation Cup and from the weekend’s results, they may completely drop from the continent.
On Saturday at the Agege Stadium, Plateau United defeated Algeria’s USM Algier 2-1 with King Osanga giving them the lead in the 23rd minute.
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After the restart, Faouzi Yaya benefitted from slack defending from Kennedy Boboye’s men to level the proceedings before substitute Emma James, few minutes after replacing Tosin Omoyele, handed them a slim first-leg advantage.
The Plateau boys would have had a more comfortable lead if their attackers were a little more accurate in from of goal.
Yesterday at the Agege Stadium, Mahamadou Cisse ensured that MFM fans left the arena shattered with his goal 12 minutes to the end of the tie ensuring that the Malians went back home with a huge advantage.
The Fidelis Ilechukwu tutored team became the first Nigerian side to ever lose at home to a Malian team.
MFM had the better of the possession and play and up till the 72nd minute, they looked the most likely to score. But with 12 minutes remaining, up popped defender Cisse to score the goal that would mean NFM must win in Mali to qualify for the group stage of the competition.
Source: G Sport
