Nigeria’s representatives in next season’s CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup have been handed difficult hurdles in the preliminary round of the competitions which kick off next month.
Nigeria Professional Football League champions, Enyimba, were drawn against Libya’s Al-Ahly Benghazi in the opening round of the Champions League.
The two teams had met in the Confederation Cup two years ago. Enyimba won 2-1 in Aba but lost 1-0 away. The Libyans will host the first leg this time around while Enyimba will play the second leg at home.
The People’s Elephant will also face either Coton of Benin or long-time rivals, ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast in the second round.
Champions League debutants, Remo Stars were drawn against Ghana league champions Medeama FC with further tests against Horoya of Guinea awaiting if they make it beyond the first round.
Medeama will host the first leg in the weekend of August 18-20 while Remo Stars will host the second leg in Ikenne on between August 25-27.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, Federation Cup winners, Bendel Insurance will mark their return to continental football with a date against ASO Chief of Algeria with a tougher contest against Morocco’s RS Berkane awaiting them in the second round.
Rivers United, who were excepted from the first round of matches due to their rankings will await the winner of the tie between CS de Ziguinchor of Senegal and Etoile Filante of Burkina Faso.
The first leg of the first round of both competitions will hold on the weekend of August 18, 19, and 20 while the return leg will hold on the weekend of August 25, 26 and 27.
The second preliminary round of both competitions will be played between September and October.
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