Defending Champions, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, on Sunday hammered 10-man Rivers United 6-0 to progress to the 2022/2023 CAF Champions League with a 7-2 aggregate score.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions had won the first leg 2-1 in Port Harcourt, but failed to register a single goal in the second leg.
Even a promise of US$40,000 per player bonus by Gov. Nyesom Wike failed to motivate the Nigerian players.
The second-leg match played at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca saw Ayoub El Amloud open scoring for the hosts in the 33rd minute.
Rivers United problems were compounded when their Ghanaian goalkeeper, Mutawakili Seidu, was sent off for an unsporting behaviour in his vital area four minutes later.
Yahya Jabrane converted the resulting penalty to make it 2-0 for the hosts on the stroke of half time.
Bouly Sambou scored a third in the 50th minute and added a fourth for his brace in the 58th minute.
Jabrane also grabbed his brace and the fifth goal in 70th minute.
Hamid Ahdad completed the rout for the Moroccans with a powerful header from close range in the 90th minute and sealed what was a miserable night to the visitors.
The result meant that no Nigerian club would feature in the money-spinning group stage of the CAF Champions League.
Rivers United will now join Jos-based Plateau United, who also dropped into the CAF Confederation Cup competition following their elimination.
They will battle clubs in the playoff round to stand a chance of reaching the group stages of the cup competition.
Both Rivers United and Plateau United will know their Confederation Cup playoff foes on Monday after the draws are conducted. (NAN)