September 13, (THEWILL) – Kazeem Ogunleye, an 18-year-old substitute, scored the winning goal for Enugu Rangers in their CAF Champions League qualifier against Sagrada Esperanca of Angola.
The Nigerian team won 1-0 at home in Uyo on Friday, with Ogunleye netting from outside the box. Despite dominating possession, Enugu struggled to break through until the teenager’s strike.
The Nigerian side had narrowly progressed to this round, beating Zilimadjou of Comoros 2-1 on aggregate in matches played in Nigeria due to a lack of suitable stadiums in the Comoros.
The return leg against Sagrada will take place in Luanda, Angola next weekend. Enugu Rangers aim to become the first Nigerian champions since Enyimba’s consecutive victories in 2003 and 2004.
The weekend will see 14 more first-leg matches, including defending champions, Al Ahly of Egypt, visiting Gor Mahia in Kenya on Sunday.
Enugu Rangers will need to maintain their form away from home to progress further in the competition. The team’s performance in the return leg will be crucial in determining their chances of advancing in Africa’s premier club tournament.
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.
