Sports

KWARA United Football Club of Ilorin on Sunday avoided an early scare, coming from behind to beat CAF Confederation Cup defending champions RS Berkane of Morocco 3-1.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the win was in the first leg match of the second preliminary round in the 2022/2023 CAF Confederation Cup competition.

In the match played at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena in Lagos, the visitors took the lead in the eighth minute through Cheick Ouattara who nodded the ball past goalkeeper Adeyinka Adewale.

The hosts would have equalised in the 13th minute but for goalkeeper Hamza Hamiani who stood at alert to make a vital save from Wasiu Jimoh’s rasping strike.

Hamiani made himself big to foil Jimoh from close range 13 minutes later, when he also recovered to frustrate Jide Fatokun’s fine effort.

He also came off his line in the 36th minute to deny Samson Paul, after the winger did well to evade Bakr El Helali’s tackle before poking the ball.

The hosts restarted the match looking better than their Moroccan counterparts as they came out determined.

They were giving everything on the pitch with a big support from the spectators urging the Kwara United players to up their game.

In the 57th minute, Ahmed Taofeeq went down the flank and delivered a low cross to Jimoh whose effort hit the upright.

Taofeeq wasted a glaring opportunity in the 68th minute after he was clinically set up by Jimoh.

He and Issa Gata combined in the 73rd minute with a deft touch to the former who poked home the equaliser.

Seven minutes later, Jimoh bulldozed his way in and sent a curly effort past Hamiani to give Kwara United the lead for the first time in the game.

Barnabas Daniel put the game beyond the visitors in the 87th minute with a fine header to send the stadium into a frenzy.(NAN)

KN

Tags: Ahmed Taofeeq Cheick Ouattara Jimoh bulldozed RS Berkane