Enugu Rangers Beat AS Sobemap On Penalties To Reach CAF Champions League Second Round

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions Rangers International have reached the second round of the CAF Champions League after defeating Benin Republic champions AS Sobemap 5-4 on penalties in Lomé, Togo, on Friday, September 11.

The Flying Antelopes went into the second leg after a 1-1 draw in Abeokuta last weekend and were held to the same scoreline after 90 minutes in Lomé. The result left the preliminary-round tie level on aggregate and sent the game into a penalty shootout.

Rangers missed their first penalty but kept their composure from the spot as AS Sobemap failed to convert two of their attempts. The Nigerian champions held their nerve to secure a 5-4 shootout win and book their place in the next round.

The win gives Fidelis Ilechukwu’s side another chance to make an impact in Africa’s premier club competition after their last CAF Champions League campaign ended in the preliminary stages. Rangers qualified for that edition after winning the NPFL title in 2024 but failed to reach the group stage.

The Enugu club will face either Algerian giants MC Alger or ASN Nigelec of Niger Republic in the second round. MC Alger were held to a goalless draw by Nigelec in the first leg last week, with the return leg scheduled for today, September 12.

Naija News recalls that Enugu Rangers have a proud continental history, with their biggest African success coming in 1977 when they won the African Cup Winners’ Cup.