Enugu Rangers secured qualification for the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after overcoming Beninese side AS Sobemap on penalties following a 1–1 draw in the second leg.
The Nigerian champions held their nerve in the shootout to win 5–4 on penalties after the two sides finished level at the end of regulation time in Friday’s encounter at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé, Togo. The result confirmed Rangers’ progress in Africa’s premier club competition.
Rangers entered the decisive fixture needing to negotiate a difficult tie against Sobemap, but the encounter again produced a closely fought contest, with neither side able to establish a decisive advantage during the match.
The 1–1 result meant that the qualification decision had to be settled from the penalty spot. Rangers showed greater composure when it mattered most, converting enough of their attempts to claim a 5–4 shootout victory and book their place in the next round.
The victory represents an important step for the Nigerian champions, who will now turn their attention to the second preliminary round as they continue their bid to reach the league phase of the CAF Champions League.
For Rangers, the result also provides a measure of progress after a demanding opening tie. Although the team was unable to secure victory inside 90 minutes, its ability to withstand the pressure of a penalty shootout proved decisive.
The Enugu-based club will now await further details of its next opponent and the dates of the second-round fixtures, with qualification for the next stage keeping its continental campaign alive.
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