Nigeria’s remaining representatives in this year’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) inter-clubs competitions, Rivers United and Plateau United are once again faced with herculean tasks after being paired with North African sides in the Confederation Cup playoffs.
It will be recalled that over the weekend in Tunis and Casablanca, the NPFL clubs were sent packing from the prestigious CAF Champions League by North African opponents and subsequently demoted to the second tier competition, the Confederation Cup.
At the end of the draws held yesterday at CAF Headquarters in Cairo, reigning NPFL champions, Rivers United who lost 7-2 on aggregate to Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco have been paired with El Nasr Benghazi of Libya and will host the first leg at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
In the same vein, their compatriots, Plateau United who finished as runners up in the 2022 NPFL season and were eliminated by former champions, Esperance Du Tunisia via a controversial penalty have been drawn against another Libyan side, Al Akhder
The Peace Boys will welcome Al Akhdar in their adopted home ground, Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, before travelling for the second leg.
The first leg will be played on November 2, while the second leg is scheduled for November 9.
All 16 winners of the playoff round will proceed to the group stage of the Confederation Cup scheduled to kick off in February 2023.
It will also be recalled that the four heart-breaking defeats suffered by Nigerian representatives in the continent this year were against North African opponents.
Kwara United’s run ended in the competition in the second qualifying round by Moroccan side and defending champions, RS Berkane just as Moroccan club FAR Rabat eliminated Remo Stars in the first round of the Confederation Cup.
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