Nigeria’s Enyimba miss penalty, lose first leg

Raja Club Athletic players celebrate after scoring a goal during the African Confederation Cup soccer match between Raja Club Athletic of Morocco and Aduana Stars FC of Ghana

by Brian Lee

Wednesday Oct 03, 2018. 18:55

Nigeria’s Enyimba suffered a shock 1-0 loss against Morocco’s Raja Casablanca in the first-leg of their CAF Confederation Cup semi-final, after a missed penalty by Stanley Digma on Wednesday.

The victory for Raja away from home at the Enyimba International Stadium gives them a massive upper-hand ahead of the semi-final second leg on October 24.

Despite playing in front of their home crowd the Nigerian team started a little slowly and struggled to get their foot on the ball.

Raja had no such issues with their first attempt on goal coming in the sixth minute when Baye Niasse got onto the end of a pin-point cross into the box, but his ten-yard header shaved the wrong side of the post.

Enyimba finally managed to threaten the visitor’s goal in the 15th minute when Augustine Oladapo let fly from long range, but his thunderous effort was well-saved by the Raja goalkeeper Anas Znithi.

On the half hour mark the home side were on the attack again with Dare Ojo dribbling himself into space on the edge of the box, but his powerful shot was turned around the post by Znithi once more.

Raja had the last say of the half with Badr Banoun firing a 20-yard shot goalwards, but his effort went inches wide of the target with the keeper beaten.

The half ended goalless.

Three minutes into the second half Raja took the lead when some swift play by the visitors concluded with Abdelilah Hafidi finding the back of the net with a clinical finish, 1-0.

The home side took control of the game after going behind, but struggled to create clear-cut chances in front of goal.

Nonetheless, Enyimba were afforded the perfect opportunity to draw level when they were awarded a penalty just after the hour mark but Stanley Digma fired the spot-kick wide.

In the 78th minute the Nigerian side came close to scoring again when a 16-yard shot from substitute Freedom Omofoman went narrowly wide of the target.

Enyimba threw players forward in the final ten minutes, but were unable to find an equaliser.

Enyimba (0) 0

Raja Casablanca (0) 1 (Hafidi 48’)

Teams

Enyimba: Afelokhai (Ezenwa 75’), Abalogu, Anaemena, Ogbonnaya, Ikouwen Utin, Osadiaye (Omofoman 59’), Mustapha (Wasiu 53’), Dare Ojo, Dimgba, Adetunji, Augustine Oladapo.

Raja Casablanca: Zniti, Achchakir, Sanad Al Warfali, Hadraf (Alami 88’), Banoun, Lema Mabidi, Hafidi (Bahi 85’), Baye Niasse, Jbira, Rahimi (Iajour 75’), Boutayeb.