CAF Confederation Cup
CAF CONFEDERATION CUP: ‘MOSQUITO’ SIGNALS RANGERS’ REVIVAL AGAINST PELICANS
Nigerian torchbearers Rangers of Enugu continue their chase for continental glory since winning the defunct Africa Cup Winners Cup over four decades ago with a round of 16 first leg clash away to Gabonese side AS Pelican on Saturday in Libreville.
The Flying Antelopes were impressive last season in the same competition reaching the mini-league group stage but failed to progress to the quarter-finals after coming closely in third position behind Tunisian duo CS Sfaxien and Etoile du Sahel.
The seven-time champions have since bolstered their side with some experienced players notably veteran midfielder Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, a household name on the Nigerian football scene through his nickname Mosquito.
“It is great to join Rangers International and I’m here to contribute my quota to the success of the team especially in the CAF Confederation Cup because it has been a long time that the club won anything on the continent,” the experienced 33-year-old Ibenegbu, a graduate of Industrial and Microbiology from Imo State University told CAFOnline.com.
“It is my objective to win everything achievable here with Rangers; and we are looking positively at the CAF Confederation Cup as well as the NPFL and Aiteo Cup in Nigeria.
“I believe with my experience playing on the continent alongside that of others now in the team, would help Rangers achieve more than they did last season.”
Mosquito has indeed impressed over the years having played for the Nigeria Beach Soccer national team as well as the Super Eagles side at the 2016 Africa Nations Championship in Rwanda. He has also tasted continental football during his stints at Heartland of Owerri, defunct Warri Wolves and lately with Enyimba before switching to Rangers.
“Enyimba is familiar with playing on the continent and I had four great seasons with them where I gained so much experience playing in both in the domestic and CAF-organised competitions.
“I’ve been well received and the fans can be rest assured that I’m going to give my best after coming back from a knee injury that kept me out of the game for almost a year.
According to Rangers’ Communications Officer, Norbert Okolie, Mosquito has seemingly not lost his cutting edges with his impressive showings in the club’s practice matches ahead of this weekend’s trip to Gabon.
“Our preparation for the CAF Confederation Cup is well on course. We suffered only one game in 12 friendly matches against both professional and amateur clubs. Ibenegbu (Mosquito) featured in six of those matches and I think the coaching crew led by our new manager Benedict Ugwu is very impressed because he has shown his usual old form and assisted in some of the goals we scored.”
Ibenegbu, who acquired Mosquito as a moniker by admirers due to his bean-pole physique, said his coming over to Rangers soon after winning the 2018/2019 Nigerian league with Enyimba offers him yet another opportunity to show what he’s capable of doing.
“In all my years with Enyimba, I only won trophies in the domestic competition but I believe Rangers is strong enough to go all the way in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup and we must show our capacity starting with this weekend’s match against AS Pelican,” he reiterated.
The second leg will take place in Enugu in a fortnight with the winner advancing to the ultimate preliminary of the second-tier continental championship.
Fixtures
Friday:
- Omdurman El Khartoum (Sudan) vs Motema Pembe (DR Congo)
Saturday:
- Nairobi Bandari (Kenya) vs US Ben Guerdane (Tunisia)
- Kigali AS Kigali (Rwanda) vs Proline (Uganda)
- Lome Maranatha (Togo) vs Djoliba (Mali)
- Libreville Pelican (Gabon) vs Rangers (Nigeria)
- Obuasi Ashantigold (Ghana) vs RS Berkane (Morocco)
- Manzini Young Buffaloes (Eswatini) vs Bidvest (South Africa)
- Cairo Pyramids (Egypt) vs CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
Sunday
- Cotonou ESAE (Benin) vs Salitas (Burkina Faso)
- Sfax Ittihad (Libya) vs HUSA (Morocco)*Match will be played in Sfax (Tunisia
- Algiers Paradou (Algeria) vs CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
- Curepipe Bolton City (Mauritius) vs Zanaco (Zambia)
- Zanzibar Malindi (Zanzibar) vs El Masry (Egypt)
- Conakry Santoba (Guinea) vs San Pedro (Cote d’Ivoire)
- Nelspruit TS Galaxy (South Africa) vs CNaPS (Madagascar)
- Dar Azam (Tanzania) vs Triangle (Zimbabwe)
-cafonline
CAF Confederation Cup
Owolabi Blames Overconfidence, Inexperience for Kwara United’s CAF Confederation Cup Exit
Former Nigeria international, Felix Owolabi, has attributed Kwara United’s elimination from the CAF Confederation Cup by Ghana’s Asante Kotoko to overconfidence and lack of technical depth on the bench.
Commenting after Kotoko’s 1-0 victory in Abeokuta on Sunday, which sealed a 5-3 aggregate win for the Ghanaian giants, the 1980 AFCON winner revealed that he had earlier warned officials of Kwara United about the quality and tactical strength of their opponents.
“Do you know that I was in Ghana for an assignment when I watched Asante Kotoko play in the finals of the FA Cup against Accra Hearts of Oak?” Owolabi said. “The game ended 2-1 in favour of Kotoko, and I heard the President of Ghana promise to support the team in their continental campaign.”
According to him, the Ghanaian leader’s commitment reflected a renewed determination to revive the fortunes of club football in Ghana.
“He said the days of poor showing by Ghanaian teams were over and was ready to back them financially,” Owolabi noted.
The former Shooting Stars star added that he had returned to Nigeria with insights that could have helped Kwara United prepare better.
“I told some of those close to the team that Kotoko’s full-backs and midfielders were their engine room, and they needed a tactical plan that would disorganise them for the entire 90 minutes,” he explained.
Owolabi said he also cautioned that the tie was far from over despite Kwara United’s earlier away goals advantage.
“I warned them not to take qualification for granted until the final whistle. Psychologically, the three away goals made them overconfident,” he said.
The former winger lamented that Kwara United lacked a “matured tactician” to handle such a delicate second leg.
“All they needed was an experienced hand on the bench — someone who understands the dynamics of continental football,” Owolabi added. “It’s unfortunate. Now, it’s like medicine after death.”
He concluded by urging Nigerian clubs to attach greater importance to technical preparedness and experience when representing the country in continental competitions.
“Football has become too dynamic. Even the areas you least expect surprises have become success zones,” he warned.
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Kwara United’s CAF Confederation Cup journey came to an abrupt end on Sunday following a 1–0 defeat to Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.
The slim victory handed the visitors a 5–3 aggregate triumph, sealing their progression to the next round of the continental competition and dashing the hopes of the Harmony Boys, who had entered the return leg needing only a 1–0 win to advance.
After losing a pulsating first leg 4–3 in Accra last weekend, Kwara United were banking on their three away goals to overturn the deficit.
However, Asante Kotoko displayed greater composure and tactical discipline in Abeokuta, frustrating the hosts for much of the contest.
The decisive moment came midway through the second half when the Ghanaians capitalised on a defensive lapse to grab the only goal of the game — a strike that effectively ended any comeback hopes for the Nigerian side.
Despite a spirited late push from the home team, Kotoko held firm, relying on their experience and solid defensive structure to preserve their advantage.
Kwara United’s head coach, Tunde Sanni, had promised an attacking approach, but his side found it difficult to break down a compact Kotoko backline that absorbed pressure and hit on the counter.
The result means the Ilorin-based club’s continental adventure has ended at the preliminary stage, while Asante Kotoko will now turn their focus to a blockbuster next round clash against Moroccan champions Wydad Casablanca.
For Kwara United, the defeat marks a disappointing end to an otherwise promising campaign, but the team will take positives from their spirited away performance in Ghana and look to regroup for the upcoming domestic season.
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Nigeria’s Kwara United are brimming with confidence as they prepare to overturn a narrow first-leg deficit against Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko in this Sunday’s decisive CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round clash at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta.
Despite falling 4–3 in a thrilling encounter at the Accra Sports Stadium last weekend, the Harmony Boys returned home with three valuable away goals — a major lifeline that keeps qualification firmly within reach.
A 1–0 or 2–1 win on home soil will be enough to see them through to the next stage.
In a show of intent, the team arrived early in Abeokuta on Monday to fine-tune tactical plans and acclimatize to the playing conditions ahead of the must-win tie.
Training sessions have been intense and focused, with emphasis on tightening the defence and improving finishing in front of goal.
Head coach Tunde Sanni expressed optimism that his players have learned from the first-leg experience, admitting that some key names failed to hit their stride in Accra.
“In that first leg, some of our top players could not come to the party,” Sanni remarked. “This time around, I pray that everybody plays very well so that we won’t concede. We have to beat them convincingly.”
The coach hinted at slight adjustments to his starting lineup but emphasized that the squad’s overall readiness and team spirit remain strong.
“At least one or two changes must be there, but we are set. We can play anybody. Everybody is ready now and understands what is at stake.”
While aware of the defensive risks, Sanni insisted that Kwara United would not compromise their attacking philosophy, which has become a trademark of the Ilorin-based club.
“We are an attacking team. We don’t play defensive football. We always look to attack while maintaining balance,” he added.
Although the team will be without the passionate backing of their Ilorin faithful, Sanni believes the Abeokuta pitch provides the right surface for his players to express themselves.
“Definitely, we’re going to miss our fans, but Abeokuta has a very good pitch, so we can play anywhere,” he noted. “It won’t be easy, but with hard work, we can get the result we need.”
A victory on Sunday would not only avenge last week’s defeat but also secure Kwara United a high-profile final-round clash against Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca — a fixture that would further underline the club’s growing stature in continental football.
For the Harmony Boys, the message is clear: attack with purpose, defend with discipline, and fight till the final whistle — as the journey to Africa’s group stage continues.
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