4th March, 2013
Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Kano Pillars have booked a place in the next round of this year’s CAF Champions League after forcing Olympique du Bangui to a goalless draw in Central Africa Republic yesterday.
The fixture was the return leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary duel as the Sai Masugida had earlier defeated Bangui 5-1 in the first leg which was decided at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofarmata, Kano.
Olympique du Bangui went into the encounter knowing that they would need four unreplied goals to qualify to the next round of the championship.
But the resilience from the Kano Pillars’ back four denied the hosts from finding the back of the net, not even once before their home fans.
The game was full of so much finesse, and Bangui would have themselves to blame not to have utilised some of the chances that came their way in the first half.
Kano Pillars’ gaffer, Baba Ganaru was in cloud nine after the final whistle.
“I thank God that we are through to the next round as it would be bad considering our status as the Nigerian champions to crash out at this stage.
“My boys were superb, although they were under a lot of pressure in the first half, but we were justified at the end,” Ganaru told supersport.com afterwards.
Kano Pillars will now face last year’s Confederation Cup winners, AC Leopards from Congo or Mounana of Gabon in the next round of the CAF Champions League.