Football
Club Africain inflicted a
3-1 defeat on Rivers United in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday as the first
round of Group matches took centre stage in Africa’s second tier club
competition.
The Nigerian club failed
to hit expected heights in the first half as the Tunisians deservedly took a
2-0 lead into the break courtesy of goals from Ifa Bilal who rose highest to
head home a corner and Oussama Darragi who converted a penalty with frightening
force on the stroke of half time to extend the hosts’ advantage.
The Pride of Rivers
stormed back after the break and pulled a goal back through new boy, John
Odumegwu who struck a precise effort into the far corner from the edge of the
penalty area past the Club Africain goal keeper Faruk Ben Mustapha.
With United on the
ascendancy and looking the more likely of the two sides to claim the game’s
next goal, disaster struck as Joseph Douhadji scored an own goal to restore
Club Africain’s two-goal cushion.
Emeka Ogbugh missed a
penalty with just over 11 minutes remaining as the Tunisians closed out a
crucial win.
Eguma addressed the media
after the defeat insisting that there were positives to draw from the defeat.
“We did not find our feet
in the first half and conceded two goals,” he said at the post match press
conference captured by www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
“In the second half, we
corrected our mistakes and scored a goal. We got a penalty and if we had
converted it, it would have made a lot of difference as my boys would have
pushed for the equalizer,” he said.
Head coach of Club
Africain, Chibeb Ellili also voiced his sentiments after the pulsating contest
decided at the Stade Olympique de Radès, Radès.
“Rivers United was fresher
than us in the second half because I had four players who had not played for a
long time in the team.
“The fitness was not there
in the second half. Also, Rivers United had nothing to lose in the second half
and they have a lot of fast players with and without the ball,” he said.
Rivers United is in third
place in Group A while Club Africain are in second place, trailing the leaders,
FUS Rabat only on goals difference.
Ugandan club, KCCA props
up the rear ahead of the section’s second round of matches.
Rivers United will next
meet FUS Rabat in Port Harcourt on May 24.
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