A rash challenge by Enyimba goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo led to a 1-0 loss for the Nigerian club against Moroccan visitors Wydad Casablanca on Sunday in the African Football League.
Captain Ojo fouled Ayoub el Amloud and Wydad skipper Yahya Jabrane converted the resulting 39th-minute penalty to settle the quarter-final first leg in the southeastern city of Uyo.
The half-time introduction of midfielder Ikenna Cooper helped former African champions Enyimba and they came close to equalising in the middle of the second half through 16-year-old Daniel Daga.
Enyimba were reduced to 10 men in added time when Alalibo Somiari committed a foul on Montasser Lahtimi as the last defender and an initial yellow card was upgraded to red after a VAR check.
Wydad host the return match on Wednesday and are firm favourites to win the tie and set up a semi-final showdown with TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo or Tunisian side Esperance.
Wydad have been outstanding performers in Africa for some time, reaching four of the last seven CAF Champions League finals and winning two.
Enyimba won back-to-back Champions League titles from 2003, but have not come close to claiming more African silverware and were eliminated in a preliminary qualifier this season.
Coach Finidi George, a 1995 UEFA Champions League winner with Ajax Amsterdam, faces a major challenge with his attackers, who had 20 attempts at goal but only one on target.
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Troubled Build-Up
A game full of tense, dedication and a lot of grinta 💪#AFL | #CAF | #FIFA pic.twitter.com/8sYDsVR5YA
— African Football League (@afl_africa) October 22, 2023
Mazembe, five-time African champions, put aside a troubled build-up to edge Esperance 1-0 in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam.
Malian Cheick Fofana scored the lone goal on 11 minutes, powerfully heading a cross into the six-yard box past goalkeeper and fellow 19-year-old Amanallah Memmich.
Mazembe, who are based in the southern city of Lubumbashi, forfeited home advantage after Congolese custom officials refused to allow CAF equipment into the country.
The decision infuriated Mazembe officials, who said the “inexplicable” decision had lessened their hopes of advancing to the semi-finals of the new competition.
In other first legs, Simba of Tanzania drew 2-2 at home to Al Ahly of Egypt on Friday and South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns triumphed 2-0 at Petro Luanda of Angola on Saturday.
The AFL underwent a name change several months ago from CAF Africa Super League amid fears the original title might be linked with the failed 2021 attempt to form a European Super League.
Initially a 24-club, 197-fixture tournament culminating in a single-match final, it was reduced to eight teams with three, two-leg knock-out rounds due to limited sponsorship.
Prize money has been severely reduced with the winners set to pocket $4 million — $7.5 mn less than first planned.
AFP
