It was a bad weekend for Nigerain club sides competing in the ongoing Confederation of African Football (CAF) group stage match. as both Rangers International Football Club of Enugu and the Enyimba Football Club of Aba were beaten.
Rangers went down 1-3 to Pyramid Football Club of Egypt on Sunday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
News of Nigeria reports that Rangers took the lead in the 28th minute from Ibrahim Olawoyin but had Tope Olusesi red carded before the interval.
Rangers’ goal lasted after the interval till Mohammed Salama levelled things for the visitor in the 57th minute from the penalty spot.
Mohammed Eldin made it 2-1 for the visitors in the 86th minute before Islam Attia rounded it 3-1 in the 90th minute of the match.
In his reaction, Rangers Coach, Salisu Yusuf said that his players did well but needed to believe in themselves.
”We were doing well until the red card to Tope Olusesi. The technical crew is going to work on that before our next match,” he said.
Pyramid Coach, Sebastine Desabre said that they met a strong team in Rangers but took their chances once it came.
”Rangers was up to the game until they were reduced to ten men and they slacked back,” Desabre said.
The Flying Antelopes captain, Uwadiegwu Ugwu said that they did well and would keep improving.
He noted that the technical crew really improved the team and believed that they would do better when the technical crew handled them subsequently.
Rangers will next week travel to Egypt to play another North African team, Al Masry Soccer Club.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rangers technical crew was sacked last week after three consecutive losses.
Super Eagles Assistant Coach, Salisu Yusufu took over the team barely one week to the CAF tournament.
Enyimba was trashed 2-0 by a Moroccan side, Hassania Agadir in the same CAF Confederation Cup Group D clash at the Stade Al Inbiaâte.
According to NAN report, Karim El Berkaoui opened scoring for the home team in the 14th minute, while Senegalese forward Malick Cisse added the second five minutes later.
Enyimba battled hard to get back into the game but were unable to breach the hosts’ defence.
In the other Group D game, San Pedro of Cote d’ lvoire were held to a 0-0 at home by Algerian club, Paradou A.C.
The Aba-based club side will host San Pedro at the Enyimba International Stadium on Dec. 8 in a Match day two encounter.
