By Victor Kanayo
The rare journey of a Nigerian club – El Kanemi Warriors to the ongoing 2024/25 season CAF Champions League has come to an sour end.
This is after the club lost 2-3 on aggregate to a Benin Republic club Dadje on Saturday.
Dadje won the second leg of the preliminary stage 2-1 after the first leg played last week ended 1-1.
Dekedda Historic Breakthrough
Meanwhile, Dekedda Sports Club have secured a place in the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, marking the first time in nearly four decades that a Somali club has reached this stage of Africa’s premier club competition.
The historic achievement came at the Azam Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where Dekedda SC overcame Djibouti’s Arta Solar7 with a thrilling 5-4 aggregate victory.
This result has not only electrified football fans across Somalia but has also signaled a potential renaissance for the country’s football on the continental stage.
An End To Drought
Dekedda SC’s triumph ends a 36-year drought for Somali clubs in the CAF Champions League.
The last time a Somali team progressed this far was in 1988 when Wagad FC reached the second preliminary round after a memorable victory over Rwanda’s Panthere Noires.
Dekedda SC now face a formidable challenge in the next round as they prepare to take on Tunisian giants Esperance in September with an opportunity to reach a possible group stage.
