Nigerian pair Enugu Rangers and Enyimba were both defeated in Caf Confederation Cup action on Sunday during a bruising day for the NPFL duo.
Rangers took a 1-0 lead at home against Egyptian moneybags Pyramids when Ibrahim Olawoyin opened the scoring in the 29th minute, but after losing Tope Olusesi to a red card, the hosts crumbled.
Mohamed Farouk converted a penalty after the break, before Amor Layouni and Islam Eissa added further goals for Sebastien Desabre’s side.
In Group A’s other opening clash, Pyramids’ fellow Egyptians Al-Masry secured a 3-2 victory away at FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania.
The hosts bounced back through Boubacar Bagili after Austin Amutu had given Masry the lead, but Nouadhibou responded through Yassin El Welly.
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However, Masry responded again through Amutu, before Karim El Eraky scored a 91st-minute winner.
For Nigeria’s other Confed Cup representatives—Enyimba—the group stage began in similarly miserable fashion as they were defeated 2-0 by Hassania Agadir.
Karim El Berkaoui and Malick Cisse scored inside the first 20 minutes for the Moroccans, as the People’s Elephant were handed an early reality check in their continental campaign.
In Group D’s other bout, Ivorians San Pedro held Algeria’s Paradou AC 0-0 at the Stade Auguste Denise in the Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.
Elsewhere, in Group B, Morocco’s RS Berkane took control of the pool with a thumping 3-0 victory over ESAE of Benin on Sunday, while Zanaco secured a valuable point away at DC Motema Pembe earlier in the day, with Moussa Souleymanou’s opener cancelled out by Peter Kolawole.
Pre-group stage predictions that Group C would be a tight affair were realised on Sunday with draws in both of Sunday’s games.
In neutral Cairo, Al-Nasr of Libya battled back after falling behind to Djoliba when Khalid Almaryami equalised in the 68th minute from the penalty spot to take a 1-1 draw back to Mali.
Bidvest Wits, by contrast, will rue an opportunity missed after they were held 0-0 at home by Horoya, with Gavin Hunt publicly lamenting his side’s inability to find the net against the visiting Guineans.
