Kano Pillars 0-0 ASC Diaraf (1-3 on agg): Sai Masu Gida crash out of Confederation Cup
The four-time Nigerian champions were unable to overturn their deficit against the Senegalese, thus kissed the competition goodbye in the first hurdle
Nigerian giants Kano Pillars have crashed out of the Caf Confederation Cup after a disappointing 3-1 aggregate defeat to ASC Diaraf in the preliminary round.
Goals from Assane Mbodj, Junior Sambou and Makhtar N'Diaye had condemned Sai Masu Gida to a 3-1 defeat in the first leg staged at the Stade Lat-Dior, Thies.
In Saturday’s return leg, however, the result ended 0-0 at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium as the hosts were punished for their inability to convert the few chances that came their way.
Also, elimination from the competition gives coach Lionel Soccoia a dreadful start to life as handler of the four-time Nigeria Professional Football League winners.
The Frenchman was appointed to help the club in their continental assignment but his team’s failure to move to the next round could see the management of the Nigerian top-flight side show him the way out in the coming days.
Pillars went into the encounter against Diaraf without the trio of Emmanuel Anyanwu, Achibi Nwenike and Victor Dennis due to several injuries.
At the blast of the whistle, they went in search of early goals with the duo of Nwagua Nyima and David Ebuka troubling the Senegal Premier League side, while the quartet of Rabiu Ali, Auwali Ali, Muhammad Jamil and Mustapha Salisu held sway in midfield.
Even at that, they failed to find the net as they were punished for failing to convert the few chances that came their way.
Having in mind that they boast a two-goal advantage, Abdoulaye Sarr’s men were contented with sitting back while relying on counter-attacks on a few occasions, although, goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso was rarely threatened.
Despite dominating most of the ball possession, Pillars failed to score. Soccoia’s men played like a wounded animal in the last 45 minutes, notwithstanding, the game ended on a no winner, no vanquished note – a result that sent them out of the Caf Confederation Cup.
With this result, Diaraf will face Cote d’Ivoire’s FC San Pedro in the first round of the second-tier African club championship. San Pedro, 2019–20 Cote d'Ivoire Ligue 1 runners-up were drawn a bye from the preliminary round.