Nigeria’s CAF club competitions’ representatives, Enyimba of Aba, Kano Pillars and Niger Tornadoes recorded mixed results in their first outing in the preliminary stage of the 2019/20 Champions League and Confederation Cup matches played Saturday.

CAF champions league flag bearers Enyimba lost by a lone goal in their opener away to Rahimo of Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou.

The peoples Elephants started the match in high spirit, taking the war to their opponents all their way.

According to SportingLife, tenacity of the two time Champions League winners however was called to question in the 30th minute when the hosts through a rampaging Zonon shot into the lead. Zonon had prior to the goal become a tormentor in chief forcing Enyimba goalkeeper Afelokhai to dive full length to make a couple of saves. Enyimba returned in the second half mounting pressures and hoping to cancel the lone goal with Guera and Mbaoma making massive impacts and putting the hosts under serious pressure.

Olatunji was thrown into the battle in place Farouk all in an effort to make a last minute push to turn the table but that was not to be as Rahimo stood their ground gingered by their supporters till the final whistle.

Reminiscent of the of Late Bob Marley’s track “He who fights and run away lives to fight another day” Enyimba via their verified twitter handle hailed their performance away while vowing to double effort to turn the table during the return leg at the  Aba township stadium August 22.

While Enyimba have cause to be hopeful of a table turning return leg, same cannot be said of Niger Tornadoes competing in the CAF Confederation Cup.  The Minna landlords lost in Kaduna on Saturday to Santoba of Guinea.

The visitors who appear to be in a hurry to sing victory song, shot into the lead in the 37th minute of the game and maintained their lead till the closing of first half. On resumption of hostilities in the second half Tornadoes came out smoking and their increased pressure earned a penalty which Godwin Zaki did not hesitate to convert.

The equaliser did not however last the distance as the visitors reclaimed the lead to leave final score line at 2-1.

Tornadoes will have to dig deeper to reverse their fortune away to Conakry August 22.Kano Pillars competing in the CAF Champions league however sang resounding victory song after overcoming very hard fighting Ashati Kotoko 3-2 in Kano. Despite the victory Pillars will have to work extremely hard as the Ghanaian side fought really hard an indication that they will not be a walk in the park in the return leg in Kumasi.