Rivers United Pay the Penalty in Tunisia

Once again, North Africa proved a poor hunting ground for Nigerian clubs in continental duels as Rivers United on Sunday suffered a 1-3 loss to Tunisia’s Club Africain in a Group A fixture of the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup.

Sports Village Square reports that Oussama Darragi who in 2009 scored a last minute equalizer for Tunisia in a 2-2 drawn 2010 World Cup qualifying match with the Super Eagles in Abuja also proved to be one the deadly strikers that shaped the Rivers United loss.

He converted a 43^rd minute penalty to double the lead for Club Africain after Bilel Ifa had given the home team a 23^rd minute lead.

In the 61^st minute, Rivers United rallied to pull a goal back through John Odumegwu to make the score line more respectable.  But that was short lived as 10 minutes later, the Nigerian side conceded an own goal through Joseph Douhadji.

A penalty kick that could have salvaged the game for Rivers United was ballooned wide Emeka Ogbugh thus making penalty kick the Achilles heals of the Nigerian team which conceded one and failed to convert an awarded one.

Rivers United will face another North African side, FUS Rabat of Morocco in Match Day 2 in Port Harcourt.