Nigerian champions, Plateau United, received a harsh lesson from Tunisian giants, Etoile Sahel, in the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) on Tuesday.
Plateau was hammered 4-2 by the 2007 winners in Sousse.
ESS had been given a bye into the second round and demonstrated why they’re one of the favourites for the title with an outstanding opening 10 minutes.
Amr Marei scored in the opening minute and Amine Chermiti added goals in the third and eighth minutes.
Aymen Sfaxi notched a fourth nine minutes into the second half before the hosts eased off and Raphael Ayangwa and Tosin Omoyele pulled two back for the Nigerian club, who won their first-ever league title last year.
Plateau United’s two away goals — which came in an eight-minute spell late in the game — offer them a chance in the return game in Jos on Sunday, March 18, where a 2-0 victory would be enough to see them through.
“If the boys could keep their cool we can scale through,” Boboye told SCORENigeria
“Let’s see how it goes in the return leg.
“But all the same, I give credit to the boys for standing up to the many antics the Tunisia side brought before the match.”
He said his team gave too much respected to Etoile in the first half and they paid dearly for that by letting in three goals before the interval.
“My boys showed too much respect to the opponents,” said Plateau coach, Kenedy Boboye.
“They did not play to their strength in the first 20 minutes, but after a pet talk in the dressing room they came out, played to instructions and we got two vital away goals in the match/
“We were a better side in the second half of the game.”
