Sports Briefs
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ENYIMBA International Football Club of Aba, on Wednesday, April 20, qualified for the group stage of the CAF Champions League after surviving a penalty shootout against Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia. The Nigerians won the match 4-3 on penalties after both teams played out a 3-3 aggregate draw.
The Nigerian league champions won the first leg played in Port Harcourt 3-0, but then fell 3-0 to Etoile in the return game played in Sousse, Tunisia, under a quite unfriendly atmosphere. Etoile scored the opening goal through Hamza Lahmar in the 42nd minute before their Brazilian import Costa made it 2-0 (3-2 on aggregate) on 62 minutes. Costa scored his second goal of the game in the 71st minute to bring the two legs to 3-3 on aggregate.
Enyimba’s goalkeeper Theophilus Afelokhai was particularly in fantastic form through the 90 minutes and it was mainly his heroics that saw them during the penalty shootout.
The Nigerians are joined in the group phase by Zamelek of Egypt, Zambia’s Zesco United and Entente Setif of Algeria. Wydad Casablanca of Morocco kicked out defending champions TP Mazembe to qualify. There are also Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast who are making a return to the continent after a long absence; AS Vita of Congo Democratic Republic and Egyptian giants, Al Ahly.
Holders TP Mazembe crashed out after a 3-1 aggregate loss to Wydad Casablanca, according to a BBC report. The Moroccans, coached by former Real Madrid boss John Toshack, scored late in DR Congo to earn a 1-1 draw.
Mazembe had taken the lead after 28 minutes as Mali defender Salif Coulibaly headed home a corner from Ghana’s Solomon Asante. Reda Hajhouj equalised in injury time, in a match where Mazembe created several chances. Mazembe now drop down to the Confederation Cup play-offs.
Elsewhere, Ivorians ASEC Mimosas lost their second leg to Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli 2-1 on Wednesday, but advanced 3-2 on aggregate. The match was played in Tunis on security grounds.
— May 2, 2016 @ 01:00 GMT
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