Rivers United, Plateau through to next round of Champions League, to meet Wydad, Esperance

Both Rivers United and Plateau United, the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) representatives for the 2022/23 CAF Champions League, progressed to the second qualifying rounds of the competition on Sunday.

Contrasting results in the second legs of the first qualifying round saw Nigerian champions Rivers United fall to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Watanga, but win 3-1 on aggregate. 

Plateau United on their part, defeated visiting AS Stade Mandji 1-0 to secure a 3-2 result on aggregate, after an important draw from their first leg in Gabon. 

Rivers United journeyed to fellow West African nation Liberia, to take on Liberian league champions Watanga but were unsuccessful in their quest to get a consecutive victory.

The Nigerian champions who won 3-0 in the first leg at home, conceded as early as the 14th minute, with Farsedu Logan scoring from the penalty spot for the home side.

The rest of the proceeding at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville saw neither side, muster anything from their chances, Rivers United, benefitting the most from the 1-0 scoreline.

The Port Harcourt club will now face defending champions Wydad Casablanca in the second qualifying round, with the winner of the tie, progressing to the group stage.

While Rivers United were losing in Liberia, Plateau United were coasting past Gabonese champions AS Stade Mandji at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.

The victory which came thanks to a second-half header by Haggai Katoh, meant that the Jos club won 3-2 on aggregate following a 2-2 draw they had recorded in the first leg in Gabon, a week earlier.

Plateau now proceeds to the second qualifying round, where they would face Tunisian giants and four-time Champions League winners Esperance du Tunis.

The winner of the second qualifying round is guaranteed a place in the group stage of 2022/23 competition.