NPFL Clubs Shun AITEO Cup Quaterfinal Games
Nigeria clubs that qualified for the quarterfinal of the 2022 Aiteo Cup, have shunned their respective games after some of them failed to leave their base for the matches scheduled for various centres on Wednesday August 10, 2020.
The clubs had threatened to stay away from the game after realizing that they are playing for nothing after the Nigeria Football Federation submitted the name of Kwara United, the club that finished fourth in the Nigeria Professional Football League, as the country’s final representative in the CAF Cup competition.
In the past, the second slot in the CAF Confederation Cup is always reserved for the Federation Cup winners which was not the case this time around.
The Confederation of Africa Football on Sunday confirmed Kwara United as Nigeria’s second representatives in the competition, ahead of the draw held on Tuesday in Egypt.
Remo Stars are the other team representing Nigeria in the Confederation Cup, while Rivers United and Plateau United file out in the CAF Champions League.
On Tuesday CAF conducted the draws for all the teams participating in the Champions League and Confederation Cup with Kwara United getting to play against AS Douanes of Niger in the first preliminary round.
The chairman of the NPFL Club Owners Association, Isaac Danladi, whose club is still in the competition, said according to a reports that the NPFL clubs in the competition will have no other option than to withdraw from the Aiteo Cup if they failed to get a favourable response from the NFF as they had contacted them following the shocking decision to give the slot to Kwara United.
According to our investigation, five clubs failed to travel to their centres for the quarterfinal game, while only three traveled but unable to play.
Katsina United and Heartland scheduled to play in Ilorin both traveled to the Kwara State capital but didn’t play their game while Kogi United paired against Kano Pillars had to return from Markurdi as Kano Pillars failed to travel from Kano.
Niger Tornadoes, Lobi Stars, Wikki Tourists and Nasarawa United didn’t leave their various bases for the game.
It is left to be seen what the NFF’s reaction will be while all efforts to get information from the Federation Cup’s title sponsor, Aiteo, proved abortive.
