Nigerian CAF Champions League campaigners, Rivers United and Plateau United have both advanced to the second round of the competition while CAF Confederation Cup representative Kwara United also made it past the preliminary phase. Debutants Remo Stars were not that lucky, as they crashed out of the competition after losing at home.

Rivers, the Nigeria Professional Football League champions qualified 3-1 on aggregate against Liberia’s Watanga FC. The NPFL champions took a comfortable 3-0 advantage to Liberia for their return leg. Farsedu Logan put the hosts in front in the 16th minute from the penalty spot but the Nigeria side held on to qualify to the second round of the competition. 

The Port Harcourt-based side will face a tricky test in the next phase for the competition having been paired against Morocco’s Wydad Athletic Club. Wydad were drawn bye in the preliminary phase. 

Plateau United also booked their second round slot thanks to a 1-0 victory at the New Jos Stadium on Sunday to qualify 3-2 on aggregate against AS Stade Mandji of Gabon. Haggai Katoh headed home the only goal of the encounter in the 63rd minute. 

The Fidelis Ilechukwu led side will face former champions Esperance of Tunisia. A win for the Jos-based side will see them qualify for the group stage of the competition while they could fall to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage play-offs if they lose to the Tunisians.

Esperance were drawn bye in the preliminary rounds.

In the Confederation Cup, Kwara United pulled through to the second round of the group stage qualifier on a 3-0 aggregate after playing out a goalless draw against AS Douanes de Niamey on Sunday.

The Ilorin-based side went into the second leg with a comfortable 3-0 win in Lagos and thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Adewale Adeyinka, the team secured an impressive goalless draw in the return leg.

They’ll face a tough test in the second round of the qualifiers when they play Morocco’s RS Berkane who were drawn bye in the preliminary round. 

It however was not a perfect qualifying round for Nigerian teams as debutants Remo Stars failed to progress to the next round after losing 1-0 at home to Morocco’s Association’s Sports of Forces Armed Royal in Ikenne on Sunday.

The Nigeria side recorded a 1-1 draw away from home last week and needed a win at home to advance to the next phase but it was ASFAR who scored the deciding