By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s representatives at the 2022/2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) inter-club competitions – Rivers United, and Plateau United and Remo Stars as well as Kwara United have been handed tricky draws.
While Rivers United and Plateau United will play in the CAF Champions League, Remo Stars and Kwara United will slog it out in the Confederation Cup.
In the draws made on Tuesday August 9, 2022 in Cairo, Egypt, Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions Rivers United were drawn against Watanga FC of Liberia in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
Warangal FC, founded in 1997, won the Liberia First Division in 2002 while Rivers won their first ever premier league in the just concluded NPFL season.
The Pride of Rivers will host the first leg, and should they progress will face defending Champions, Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco for a place in the group stages.
Former NPFL champions – Plateau United will face AS Stade Mandji of Gabon in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
The Gabonese first made their CAF Champions League appearance in 2010.
Should the Peace Boys win the Preliminary Round in September, they will face the herculean task of playing Esperance Sportive de Tunis of Tunisia for a place in the group stage.
Kwara United will face AS Douanes of Niger in the first preliminary round of the CAF Confederations Cup.
Two-time winners of Niger Premier League, AS Douanes will pose a formidable threat for Plateau United, who though have CAF Champions League experience going into the clashes.
The winner of the two-leg meetings will face RS Berkane in the second round should they progress.
NPFL surprise team, Remo Stars have been drawn against Morocco military club Association’s Sports of Forces Armed Royal, ASFAR in the first preliminary round of the CAF Confederations Cup.
With five appearances in Champions League and six in Confederation Cup, ASFAR is a strong side that will need alot to overcome by the Nigerian side.
The winner of both meetings will face the winner of AAGBS of Guinea and Nouakchott CS of Mauritania.
First leg of all the matches will hold within the weekend of 9-11 September and second leg set for 16-18 September.
Second round will hold between 7-9 and 14-16 October, respectively.
Enyimba FC are the only Nigerian club to have won CAF Champions League.
