Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) duo, Kano Pillars and Rivers United of Port Harcourt but lost their opening African continental clubs’ matches of the season on away ground, with defeats coming against them in Senegal and Equatorial Guinea respectively, megasportsarena.com reports.
While Pillars looked heavy and distracted in their shock defeat 3-1 by ASC Diaraf of Senegal in the CAF Confederations Cup, it was a 2-1 slump for Plateau United away to Futuro de Mongomo of Equatorial Guinea in the same competition, as both sides lost their opening preliminary round first leg matches on Saturday.
Pillars were ostensibly bogged down by their excess luggage they took to Dakar, Senegal with a 94-man delegation on Friday morning, as Sai Masu Gida slumped heavily on the pitch in spite of having scored first in the game.
David Ebuka Odenigbo gave Pillars the lead at Stade Demba Diop when he headed in Ewenike Achibi’s cross in the 13th minute, but the hosts equalised five minutes later through Bassene Zaky’s finish.
Diaraf then went in front seven minutes before the break courtesy of Samba Diallo’s effort and Matar Ndiaye gave the Senegalese side a wider advantage with a smart finish nine minutes from time, thereby putting them in good stead heading into the second leg at Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna next Saturday.
In the other CAF Confederations Cup game involving a Nigerian team on Saturday, Rivers United also fell at the feet of Mongomo of Equatorial Guinea, where the first half amazingly ended with no goal from either side, despite The Garden City side dominating proceedings all the way.
The hosts stunned their visitors seconds after the restart when Gregoire Nkama headed home a right wing cross and Futuro extended their lead when a cross by Maye Ngoma went sailing into the visitors’ net through a melee of legs.
Rivers United, though, gave themselves a lifeline by pulling one back 14 minutes from time in the form of a penalty kick that was converted by Godwin Aguda; thereby leaving them at a single goal deficit ahead of the reverse fixture at Adokie Amesiamaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
