Enyimba of Aba finally put to rest debate over their credentials as Nigeria’s biggest hope in continental competitions, as The Peoples’ Elephant dumped Rivers United of Port Harcourt out of this year’s CAF Confederations Cup, megasportsarena.com reports.
The Aba club pulled off the feat with victory away in The Garden City, even after they managed to win the previous weekend’s first leg by a single goal, and they will now feature in the group stage of the second-tier continental clubs’ competition, following heroics enacted by their goalkeeper, John Noble during a penalties’ shootout.
Noble saved two of Rivers United’s kicks before slotting home his effort for the Abia State-owned club to edge past their Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) arch-rivals 5-4, after aggregate scores at regulation time in PH were tied at 1-1.
Enyimba won the first leg of the playoff 1-0 in Aba, while Rivers United took the return leg by the same score on Sunday, with a goal by Fortune Omoniwari after 43 minutes of action, but there were no further hits after that and the stalemate had to be decided through penalties.
To start the resultant shootout, Bamba scored for Rivers United, before Cyril Olisema missed for Enyimba, former ba lad, Ifeanyi Amaenema made it 2-0 for Rivers United and then Samad Kadiri pulled a goal back.
Kunle Odunlami’s kick for Rivers United was then saved by Noble, after which Anayo Iwuala put them level at 2-2, following which Godwin Aguda made it 3-2 for the hosts, but Obot Orok then scored for Enyimba to make it 3-3.
Enyimba’s former goalkeeper, Theophilus Afelokhai put Rivers United ahead 4-3 only for the visitors’ captain, Austin Oladapo to make it 4-4 and Noble then saved the hosts’ final kick before he scored his own to ensure qualification for The Aba Elephants.
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