Heartland Football Club of Owerri and Lobi Stars of Markudi, the two Nigerian representatives in next years CAF confederation Cup competition have been drawn buy into the next stage, round of 16.
Lobi will take on the winners of the clash between Botswana’s Gaborone and Muculmana from Mozambique, while Heartland the federation Cup champions will face the winners of the preliminary round fixture between D.D Guadalupe of Sao Tome and Principle and Bitam from Gabon.
The Naze millionaires who on Monday lost a high profile friendly game against Dolphins of PortHarcourt 2-1 at Dan Anyiam Stadium will have to get their new players in fine tune ahead of the much awaitedNigeriaPremier League games and the continental engagements.
Meanwhile, NPL Champions, Kano Pillars who will be playing in the CAF Champions League, will face Olympique de Bangui fromCentral African Republicin the Preliminaries of the 2013 CAF Champions League.
Rangers International, the other representatives, who finished as runners-up to Pillars, will battle Se Do Principle of Sao Tome and Principe, also in the Preliminaries.
While the CAF confederation games for Lobi and Heartland begins on March 15, Pillars and Rangers will begin the Champions League hostilities on February 15 and 17.
Sunshine Stars reached the semi-finals of this year’s competition (CAF Champions League) before losing to eventual winners Al Ahly National ofEgypt.
Soccer pundits are however beginning to have doubts on the form of the four Nigerian Clubs that will be playing in the continental cups considering the continued delay of NPL’s resumption 2012/13 season.
The NPL Board is right now embroiled in a power tussle among other issues that has warranted the postponement of NPL’s 2012/13 season to February 2013, a fall-out of the 19th NPL congress that took place in Abuja on Tuesday, December 11.
