The 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League champions Enyimba failed to make it count in their preliminary round first leg encounter of the 2023/24 CAF Champions League, as they suffered a 4-3 loss to Al Ahli Benghazi of Libya on Sunday night.
Chijoke Mbaoma gave the People’s Elephants of Aba an early lead in the fourth time of the game, but only for the hosts to pull one back barely five minutes after, however, an Imo Obot’s own goal put Al Ahli in the front for the first time in the match just three minutes into halftime.
Eze Ekwutoziam’s 74th-minute equaliser ignited the spirits of the nine-time Nigerian Men’s League First Tier giants, just for the home team to reclaim the lead on the hour mark, however, Enyimba pulled a third to level the scoreboard yet again with Murphy Ndukwu coming off the bench to fire into the back of the net from close range on the 85th minute.
Al Ahli Benghazi tore the two-time African champions’ hearts apart with a late doleful winner into stoppage time from a poor defensive lapse, meanwhile, both teams will clash off in the return leg here in Nigeria in a few days from now.