Ghana’s Medeama Dump Remo Stars Out Of CAF Champions League

Remo Stars are the second Nigerian team to exit the competition after Enyimba. Twitter@ RemoStarsSC

Ghanaian side Medeama have defeated Remo Stars via penalties to reach the next round of the CAF Champions League.

While Medeama saw off the Nigerian team 1-0 in the first-leg game in Ghana, Remo Stars won the return fixture by the same margin in the preliminary round of the tournament.

That left both sides heading to the spot to decide who advance to the next phase of Africa’s elite club competition.

But Medeama emerged winners, claiming a 3-2 victory to silence the home fans at the Remo Stars Stadium, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Sunday evening.

Medeama goalkeeper Felix Kyei was the villain who became a hero as his club secured another west African showdown, this time with Horoya of Guinea.

He conceded an own-goal after a corner midway through the second half to gift Remo a 1-0 second-leg win, then saved three shootout spot-kicks to break Nigerians hearts.

After both sides had converted two penalties, Jonathan Sowah raced forward and fired his kick past Kayode Bankole to take Medeama through.

Remo’s ouster comes just as Nigerian champions and two-time winners of the competition Enyimba also crashed out of the tournament.

George Finidi’s men lost 4-3 on aggregate to the Libyan side Al Ahli Benghazi after the second leg of the match ended goalless at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba, Abia State.

It was the first time since 2015 that the Nigerian champions would exit the competition in the preliminary round.

But on Saturday, Bendel Insurance reached the next stage of the CAF Confederation Cup after seeing off Aso Chlef 4-3 on penalties. The two-legged tie had ended 1-1.

Emmanuel Egobiambu