Johannesburg--Congolese AC Leopards continued to be the scourge of Nigerian clubs when they eliminated Warri Wolves from the CAF Confederation Cup play-offs this weekend.
The central Africans lost the return match 3-1 in southern Nigeria, but advanced 4-3 on aggregate having established a 3-0 first-leg advantage.
It was the third time in four years that the Congolese have sent Nigerian opponents packing in a pan-African competition.
Leopards overcame Heartland en route to winning the 2012 Confederation Cup and toppled Kano Pillars in the CAF Champions League the following year.
Overall success against Warri takes Leopards into the group stage of the second-tier competition and other qualifiers include South Africans Orlando Pirates and Tunisians Esperance.
Warri survived several early scares before taking control of a goalless first half at Warri City Stadium with Solomon Kwambe foiled by the woodwork and Ojo Mine heading wide from close range.
Nigeria international Gbolahan Salami gave Wolves the lead two minutes after half-time, but the worst fear of the hosts was realised soon after.
A lightning Congolese counter-attack culminated in Rudy Bhebey Ndey equalising on 52 minutes and leaving Wolves needing at least four goals for survival.
Salami scored again and Oghenekaro Etebo was on target a minute from time to earn Warri a deserved but hollow victory.
Former African champions Pirates had a comfortable passage to the mini-league stage, outplaying Guineans Kaloum 4-1 in Johannesburg for a 6-1 aggregate triumph.
Kermit Erasmus put the Buccaneers ahead midway through the opening half in a game brought forward five hours to avoid clashing with the Barcelona-Juventus Champions League final.
Alseny Camara equalised with a glancing header to give the visitors a glimmer of hope that was soon extinguished by a Thamsanqa Gabuza brace.
He bundled a loose ball into the net for his first goal and then beat goalkeeper Youssef Toure at his near post with a shot that should have been saved.
A magnificent long pass from captain Oupa Manyisa allowed Sifiso Myeni to complete the rout with a half-volley goal.
The South Africans then toyed with the Guineans, much to the delight of a capacity 5,000 crowd in a Johannesburg stadium as Pirates' Soweto ground was unavailable.
No club has wiped out a four-goal, first-leg deficit in 88 previous Confederation Cup play-offs and Ghanaians Hearts of Oak never looked like creating history in west Africa.
Trailing 4-0 against Esperance, the Accra outfit did take an early lead through Isaac Mensah only for Aboud Moez to level a minute from time.
It was the final game as coach of the Tunisians for Portuguese Jose De Morais, formerly part of the Jose Mourinho backroom staff at various European clubs.
De Morais quit after Esperance finished third in the national championship.
AFP
