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Nigeria’ s representatives Lobi Stars on Friday began their CAF Champions League group stage campaign with a 2 - 1 win over South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium , Enugu.

Goals from Yaya Kone and Samuel Mathias gave Lobi their first win in the group stages of the competition . The Nigerians came from a goal down after Sundowns had taken the lead through Anthony Lafor .

The Makurdi club have three points while the Brazilians have no point in the group – with their nine- match unbeaten run in all competitions coming to an end . Before the match , Sundowns had won five matches and drawn four .

After a good start to the match , which the Nigerians dominated, Sundowns almost took the lead in the ninth minute when Lobi keeper Olufemi Kayode was forced to save from a Ricardo Nascimento header, which came from a Sundowns corner .

Lobi responded with several chances which were frittered away as they failed to make their dominance count. Sundowns goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene comfortable gathered most tame shots aimed at him .

Against the run of play , 2016 Champions League winners Sundowns went in front in the 38 th minute when Liberia international Lafor was found unmarked from a counter- attack . The Sundowns striker coolly put the ball beyond Kayode to give the visitors the lead .

However, the home team drew level in first half stoppage time from the penalty spot after Sunday Adetunji was fouled by two Sundowns defenders . Kone stepped up and calmly sent Mweene the wrong way for the Lobi equaliser.

In the second half , Lobi continued their domination of the game as they looked to take the lead for the first time in the match . In the 48 th minute , Mweene was forced into a save after Adetunji goal - bound header from a cross almost caught him unawares .

Lobi had an effort ruled out for offside in the 51 st minute by Egyptian referee Ghead Grisha. Adetunji ’s shot was saved by Mweene and the rebound stabbed home by Mathias but the referee adjudged the striker to be offside .

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