By OLAMIDE ABE

Nigerian representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup, Kwara United and Abia Warriors, were eliminated from the competition on Sunday, failing to scale the first preliminary hurdle, The PUNCH reports.

Kwara United were dumped out in Abeokuta by Ghanaian champions, Asante Kotoko, while Abia Warriors bowed to Mali outfit Djoliba in Bamako.

Adopting the MKO Abiola Sports Arena as their home ground, Kwara United needed to overturn a 4-3 defeat from the first leg, which was played last week, but fell against Kotoko, who beat them 1-0 to seal a 5–3 aggregate win.

The Ghanaian champions, who edged a seven-goal thriller in the first leg in Accra, displayed resilience at the MKO Abiola Stadium as Hubert Gyau’s second-half strike proved decisive.

In the seventh minute, Kwara United created the first opening of the contest, before Kotoko responded when a loose ball fell to midfielder Lord Adabo, whose fierce strike flew narrowly wide.

The Harmony Boys continued to press and thought they had found their moment midway through the half when a well-delivered corner from Seun Ogunribide was flapped at by Kotoko’s goalkeeper Camara Mohamed, falling invitingly to Aliu Salawudeen.

With the crowd already rising, his follow-up effort sailed off target, leaving Nigerian supporters in disbelief.

Kotoko’s moment came in the 54th minute against the run of play. Gyau capitalised on a defensive lapse, dispossessing a Kwara defender before unleashing a venomous volley that left the goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso rooted.

Kwara pushed desperately for a response. Bright Babatunde nearly levelled in the 67th minute, rounding the goalkeeper after racing onto a through ball, only for the Kotoko defence to recover in time and block his shot.

Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Uyo, Djoliba finished the job at home against Abia Warriors, beating the Nigerian side 1-0 in the return fixture, and progressed 2-1 on aggregate.(PUNCH)