Fidelis Ilechukwu laments Plateau United’s CAF Champions League exit

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

After Plateau United’s ouster from the CAF Champions League on away goal rule, the coach of the club, Fidelis Ilechukwu says it was painful the manner in which the team crashed out of the competition.

A last-gasp penalty converted by Esperance Tunis of Tunisia was enough to knock Fidelis Ilechukwu and Plateau United out of the 2022/2023 CAF Champions League.

“It’s so painful. We are not happy with the way our team was booted out of the CAF Champions League. We are hopeful of making history,” said coach Ilechukwu in a monitored interview by nigeriafootball.og on Brila FM.

“It’s very painful for us. I don’t want to talk about the officiating because I am not WAFU and I am not CAF. It looks like we don’t have anybody. That is by the way.

“We are now out of the CAF Champions League because of the away goal rule. It’s so painful.”

Plateau United won the first leg of the final Preliminary Round 2-1 in Abuja but a controversial penalty kick that was awarded to Esperance Tunis in the return leg knocked out the Nigerian representative.

Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane converted the resulting penalty kick in the 83rd minute for Esperance Tunis at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi, Rades.

The result meant Plateau United and Rivers United will drop to the second tier CAF Confederation Cup.

Both teams will enter the CAF Confederation Cup final Preliminary Round draw slated for Tuesday.