Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) sides Plateau United and MFM FC, Enyimba and Akwa United would be resuming continental football as they crash with some of the continent’s top teams for a place in the next stage of their respective competitions.

The duo of Plateau United and MFM FC will be hoping to overcome their Maghrebian opponents for the first round of their CAF Champions League encounters against Tunisian’s Etoile du Sahel and MC Algers respectively.

Enyimba FC are already in Benin Republic to confront their Beninoise opponents, Energie FC while Akwa United are far away in the Desert country of Libya to confront Al Ittihad of Libya.

Plateau United who are defending champions of the NPFL will be going up against a highly experienced Etoile du Sahel side who are household names in the CAF Champions league, having won the CAF Champions League once in 2007, Confederations Cup as well as the Super Cup twice.

Both teams are currently placed third in their leagues but Plateau United who are aware of the herculean task ahead of them must take the game to their opponents if they hope to progress to the next round.

The Sousse club edged past bitter rivals CS Sfaxien in their last game to prepare ahead of their Nigeria opponent while Plateau United’s match day 11 NPFL game was rescheduled to enable them prepare for the crucial away encounter.

MFM FC who are greenhorns in the competition also face an uphill task ahead as they attempt to dislodge their more formidable North African rivals.

Their preliminary round win over Malian side, AS Real of Bamako will be a shot in the arm as they are going to ensure they fully maximize the advantage of playing at home by putting the game beyond doubt with a comfortable win to make the away encounter a mere formality.

The Fidelis Ilechukwu lads who are yet to win any game on the domestic front after their historic victory over AS Real will be hoping to fire from all cylinders as they take on the 1976 CAF champions League winners.

Enyimba’s game against Energie FC will be their first continental game as they were drawn bye in this season’s competition. The two -time African champions have been somewhat anonymous in the continental showpiece and will hope to put their experience to bear against the Beninoise club.

Energie FC currently sit in second place in the Benin Ligue championnat and will be a great threat to the People’s Elephants who are fourth in the Nigerian Premier League.

Akwa United are going up against one of Libya’s foremost clubsides, Al Ittihad who have a pedigree in the CAF Confederations Cup, having made it to the quarter finals in 2005 and semi-finals in 2010.

The Libyan club was the first to qualify for the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League also in 2007.

Akwa United will therefore do well not to undersestimate their more experienced opponents and do the needful if they must progress to the next round.


http://hotsportstv.com/big-hurdles-for-nigeria-teams-on-the-continent/

NIGERIA CLUBS MATCH FIXTURES AND TIME

TUESDAY

ETOILE Du SAHEL VS PLATEAU UNITED (6: PM)

ENERGIE VS ENYIMBA (4: PM)

WEDNESDAY

MFM FC VS MC ALGER (4: PM)

AL ITTIHAD VS AKWA UNITED (5: PM)