August 25, (THEWILL) – Nigerian club El Kanemi Warriors suffered a surprising defeat in Saturday’s CAF Confederation Cup first round. The team lost 2-1 to Dadje, a newcomer to continental football, at home in Benin.
Dadje progressed with a 3-2 aggregate score after drawing 1-1 in the first leg last weekend. They will now face Renaissance Berkane of Morocco, two-time champions, in the next round for a chance to reach the group stage.
Bless Salassi played a crucial role for Dadje, scoring twice in the return match. He found the net in the 30th minute, followed by an equaliser from Clement Naantum seven minutes later. Salassi’s winning goal came in the 81st minute, securing both the match and the tie for Dadje.
This victory marks another low point for Nigeria on the continental stage with local clubs in the country finding it difficult to advance beyond the early stages. On the other hand, it is a rare success for Benin in African football competitions. The result is particularly noteworthy given Dadje’s status as tournament debutants.
In the upcoming fixture against Berkane, Dadje will have the advantage of playing at home first. Berkane has an impressive record in the Confederation Cup, having reached four of the last six finals, winning twice and finishing as runners-up twice.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
