Nigerian champions Plateau United scored two vital second half goals but lost 4-2 to Etoile du Sahel in their Champions League first round first leg clash in Sousse on Tuesday evening.
The Tunisians made a dream start to the game when winger Al Khali Bangoura gave them the lead with less than one minute on the clock. Star striker Amine Chemiti added a second two minutes later as the Nigerians were stunned in front of a capacity crowd at the Olympic Stadium in Sousse.
Matters grew from bad to worse in the ninth minute when a United defender diverted a cross home under pressure from Chemiti. The Nigerians then settled into the game and went close twice through Sunday Ingbede before the half time break.
2007 CAF Champions League winners, Etoile added a fourth in the 54th minute when Ayman Sfaxi tapped home a rebound after Hamza Lahmar’s free kick came off the cross bar.
Kennedy Boboye’s men were however handed a lifeline on 69 minutes when Tunisian defender Ammar Jemal handled the ball after Peter Eneji’s free kick had come off the cross bar. Midfielder Raphael Ayagwa stylishly converted the spot kick to raise hopes of more.
United then got a deserved second through rising youngster Tosin Omoyele who turned home Eneji’s volleyed pass seven minutes from time.
Both teams were unable to add to the tally and will now face in the second leg in ten days time in Jos, Nigeria. Winners on aggregate will advance to the group stage of the TOTAL CAF Champions League while the losers will drop to the last elimination round of the Confederation Cup.
