Rangers International of Enugu have crashed out of the CAF Champions League following a 3-1 defeat to Sagrada Esperanca of Angola on Sunday and a 3-2 aggregate loss.
The Enugu-based Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) champions had won the first leg by a one-goal margin but were defeated at the Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda.
It took just six minutes for Esperanca to cancel the first-leg deficit when Alexandre Fernando scored. The Luanda side went into the lead for the first time in the two-legged tie when Moussa scored in 33 minutes.
The Flying Antelopes took flight with a much-needed goal to reduce the lead to 2-1 and restore parity in the tie, but Esperanca’s Jamie Pimpa shot down the flight with the winner to send Rangers packing from the money-spinning competition.
However, Enyimba FC of Abba will be Nigeria’s sole club on the continent after surviving the penalty lottery in Aba.
The People’s Elephants scrapped through a 3-2 win on penalties over EF Ouagadougou of Burkina Faso at the Aba Township Stadium.
Both first and second legs had finished goalless, prompting the need for penalties to decide the winner and Enyimba triumphed.