2,340 total views,  3 views today

By Amaechi Agbo

Rivers United on Sunday crashed out of the CAF Champions League after losing 1-0 away to Sudanese Al Hilal in their second leg fixture on Sunday but were relegated to the second continental league competition, the Confederation Cup, www.bestchoicesports.com.ng can report

An early goal in Suez ended the dreams of Stanley Eguma’s side in featuring in the elite African club competition group stage

The defeat ensured that the no Nigerian club made it into the group stage of the Champions League in as many years after 2021 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL champions, Awka United were eliminated at the first preliminary round.

After playing out a 1-1 draw in Port Harcourt a week ago, the Pride of Rivers were stunned at the New Suez Stadium by Yasil Mohamed’s goal in the fourth minute which ended up separating both teams as the Sudanese hosts cruised into the group stage with a 2-1 aggregate win.

The three-time Confederation Cup winners scored all four goals in the opening 45 minutes, thanks to goals from Chris Kouakou, Mohamed Ben Ali, Ayem Harzi and Firas Chaouat.

The result leaves Nigeria with no representative in the Champions League after Nigeria Professional Football League champions Akwa United were knocked out in the first preliminary round by Algeria’s CR Belouizdad.

However, Rivers United still have a chance of playing on the continent as they dropped to the play-off round of the Confederation Cup.

Earlier on Saturday, 2021 Aiteo Cup winners, Bayelsa United, one of Nigeria’s representatives in the Confederation Cup, failed to build on their 1-0 home win over Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien as they suffered a 4-0 loss in Sfax to be eliminated

Nigeria no longer has a representative in this season’s CAF Champions League following the ouster of Rivers United on Sunday by Sudanese club, Al Hilal.

Break down of countries with clubs in the CAF Champions League group stage shows that Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, Algeria, South Africa and Angola all have two clubs each while Guinea and Botswana have one club each.