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El-Kanemi Warriors of Nigeria fought back to secure a 2-2 draw against Moroccan giants Raja Club Athletic in the first leg of their second preliminary-round tie in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday.
The encounter took place at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, leaving both teams to battle for qualification in the return fixture in Casablanca.
Raja appeared poised to secure an away victory after taking the lead in the second half. However, El-Kanemi scored a late equaliser to keep the tie level ahead of the decisive second leg.
The return fixture is scheduled for Friday, October 23, at the Mohammed V Complex in Casablanca, according to published fixture information.
El-Kanemi Take Early Lead Against Raja
El-Kanemi made an encouraging start, opening the scoring in the sixth minute to put the visitors under early pressure.
Raja responded through Shararah, who equalised in the 23rd minute to restore parity.
The Moroccan side improved as the game progressed and took control after the break. Mathias Oyewusi put Raja ahead in the 61st minute, moving the visitors closer to a first-leg victory.
El-Kanemi, however, refused to give up and continued searching for an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off in the 82nd minute when the Nigerian side scored again to make it 2-2 and keep their qualification hopes alive.
Neutral Venue Adds To El-Kanemi’s Challenge
Although El-Kanemi were designated as the home team, the match was played at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne rather than the club’s traditional base in Maiduguri.
The arrangement followed the Confederation of African Football’s decision that El-Kanemi’s home ground did not meet the required standards for continental matches.
Playing away from their usual surroundings presented an additional challenge for the Nigerian side against an opponent with considerable continental experience.
Despite the circumstances, El-Kanemi managed to score twice and prevent Raja from taking a first-leg advantage.
Raja Face Decisive Test In Casablanca
The 2-2 draw leaves the contest finely balanced ahead of the return leg in Morocco.
Raja will look to use home advantage to secure qualification, while El-Kanemi must maintain their attacking threat and improve defensively to progress.
The Moroccan club brings considerable continental experience to the tie, having won the CAF Confederation Cup in 2018 and 2021.
El-Kanemi previously advanced to the second preliminary round after defeating UDIB of Guinea-Bissau 3-1 on aggregate.
The Nigerian side will now seek another positive result against a more experienced opponent as it pursues a place in the competition’s group stage.
Both teams will meet again in Casablanca on October 23, with qualification to be decided over the two legs.
