Moroccan side Wydad Athletic Club defeated Enyimba 1-0 in the first leg of the 2023 African Football League in Uyo.
Wydad captain Yahya Jabrane converted from the spot in the 39th minute after Enyimba goalkeeper Ojo Oloruleke stopped a goal-bound move inside the box.
The People’s Elephant had chances throughout the game but failed to break down the visitors.
The Moroccans had the chance to increase their lead late in the game but some smart defending and goalkeeping from Ojo kept the score at 1-0 before Alalibo Somiari was sent off for a foul after stopping a goal-bound attack. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened, and after reviewing the footage, the decision was reversed to a red card, leaving Enyimba with only ten players.
One of the standout moments of the match was the historic appearance of 16-year-old midfielder Daniel Daga, who became the youngest player to participate in the African Football League this year.
10-man Enyimba beaten 1-0 in Uyo by Wydad Casablanca in their first African Football League game. It wasn't a good day for the People's Elephant, but it was a long shot that no one expected them to win.
— Nsidibe Akpan (@nsidibeakpan23) October 22, 2023
Second leg on Wednesday in Morroco?#AfricanFootballLeague #ENYWYD pic.twitter.com/XpBwqCsXgj
Coach Finidi George and the Enyimba team will undoubtedly be disappointed with the missed opportunities but will be looking forward to a better showing in the second leg scheduled to take place in Casablanca on Wednesday.
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The African Football League (AFL) is an annual continental club football competition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It commenced in October 2023 and was first announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino on November 28, 2019.
Originally introduced as the Africa Super League on August 10, 2022, the competition was initially designed to include twenty-four elite African clubs with a promotion and relegation system. However, for its inaugural season, it was scaled down to feature only eight teams. The AFL will run alongside CAF’s other major club competitions, the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, without replacing them.
The primary objective of this tournament is to generate substantial financial returns, anticipated to surpass $100 million, which will be used for the development and enhancement of stadiums, infrastructure, and the promotion of African football.
Enyimba, representing Nigeria, and TP Mazembe, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, are the sole teams hailing from Central-West Africa. The other participating clubs are Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Es Tunis (Tunisia), and Wydad Casablanca (Morocco).
The selection of teams for the inaugural edition was based on ranking points, with no more than one representative per country.
