By Wale Mustapha
Congolese side FS Les Aigles have cited controversial officiating as the reason behind their elimination from the CAF Champions League following a 1-0 defeat to Nigeria’s Rivers United in the first round second leg clash on Sunday.
The decisive encounter, held at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, saw defender Stephen Manyo score the lone goal that secured progression for the hosts.
With no goals in the first leg, Rivers United advanced on a 1-0 aggregate.
In a post-match statement, FS Les Aigles expressed dissatisfaction with the standard of officiating, claiming it significantly influenced the outcome of the match.
“The Eagles of Congo fought a tough battle in Uyo. Despite intense effort and unbreakable determination, they faced controversial refereeing decisions that weighed heavily in the balance,” the club stated.
The defeat ends Les Aigles’ continental campaign for the season, while Rivers United move on to face Mozambican side Black Bulls in the second round of the competition.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
