Nigerian representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup, Kwara United and Abia Warriors, have been eliminated from the competition after failing to progress beyond the first preliminary round on Sunday.
At the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta, Kwara United were knocked out by Ghanaian champions Asante Kotoko, who secured a 1-0 victory to seal a 5-3 aggregate win. In Bamako, Abia Warriors suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Malian side Djoliba, bowing out 2-1 on aggregate.
Kwara United vs Asante Kotoko
The Harmony Boys entered the return leg needing to overturn a 4-3 defeat from the first leg in Accra, but their efforts fell short.
Kwara created early chances, with Aliu Salawudeen missing a golden opportunity in the first half after Kotoko’s goalkeeper Camara Mohamed failed to deal with a corner kick.
Kotoko’s decisive moment came in the 54th minute, when Hubert Gyau capitalized on a defensive error and fired a thunderous volley past Suraj Ayeleso.
Despite relentless pressure, including a close attempt by Bright Babatunde in the 67th minute, Kwara could not find the equalizer, leaving their supporters frustrated as Kotoko advanced.
Abia Warriors vs Djoliba
After a 1-1 first-leg draw in Uyo, Abia Warriors traveled to Mali with hopes of upsetting Djoliba. However, the hosts proved too strong, securing a 1-0 win to complete a 2-1 aggregate victory.
The defeat means both Nigerian clubs have exited the tournament at the very first hurdle, a huge blow for the country’s continental representation this season.
Nigeria’s early elimination raises questions about the preparedness of NPFL clubs for continental competitions, especially against well-organized sides from Ghana and Mali.
With the Confederation Cup campaign over for Kwara United and Abia Warriors, focus will now shift back to the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), where both sides must regroup and rebuild ahead of the domestic season.
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