It was indeed a horrible weekend for the Two Nigeria Club sides in the Confederation Cup, Heartland football club of Owerri and Warri Wolves football club of Warri. Both teams on Sunday 13th of May, 2012 bowed out ironically to teams both bearing the name Leopards, AC Leopards of Congo Brazaville and Black Leopards of South Africa due to superior away goal rule.
In South – Africa, Warri Wolves who had a supervisor 3 – 1 lead from the first led in Warri failed to score at away against a team placed bottom of South Africa premier league as they were beaten 2 – 0. Though the game ended (3 – 3) on aggregate, but the Black Leopards pulled through on superior away goal rule.
Heartland had their own mountain to climb facing the AFC Leopards inCongo. Heartland needed a late goal to secure 3 – 2 win in the first leg, and were already on thin ice heading intoBrazzaville.
Reports reaching Imo Trumpeta indicates that the Naze Millionaires were ambushed 2 – 1as they crashed out of the competition. It is also reported that the Leopards were awarded a dubious penalty late into the 2nd half of the game after Heartland had equalized the home teams first half goal.
It must be recalled here that AC Leopards also edged out last years champions Cs Sfaxian of Tunisiain the 2nd round before meeting Heartland.
The two Leopards will now wait to know their next opponents from the champions league (Losers of the 3rd round of the CAF champions league) to play before qualifying for the CAF confederation group stage.
Meanwhile, Sunshine Stars of Akure were left to provide a little cheering for Nigeria, by beating Mali’s Djoliba FC 1 – 0 in Ado – Ekiti to advance to the group stages of the CAF Champions League after being held 1 – 1 at Bamako two weeks ago.
