Don't Be Distracted With Northern Clubs' Antics - Garba Lawal Warns Rivers, Plateau United

Don't Be Distracted With Northern Clubs' Antics - Garba Lawal Warns Rivers, Plateau United

Niyi Busari

Former Super Eagles utility player, Garba Lawal has warned Rivers United and Plateau United to remain focused on their target to qualify for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Rivers United and Plateau United were pitched against two different Libyan clubs in the play-off of the second-tier CAF Club Competition. 

The Pride of Rivers humiliated Al Nasr 5-0 in Port Harcourt in the first leg while the Peace Boys from Jos were 4-1 winners against Al Akhdar in Abuja.

"The antics from the Libyans were expected, as that has been their method when they host Nigerian teams at the national or club level," Lawal said.

"Both teams must look away from it; keep the focus on the game, play with confidence and be brave on Wednesday and regard these antics as one of the ugly sides of the game in Africa.

"Having recorded victories with a meaningful scoreline of 5-0 and 4-1, which ideally should qualify them to the group stage, it will be disastrous for Nigerian club football, if Rivers United and Plateau United fall prey to the antics of the Libyans.

" My best advice for both teams is to pretend as if they were never victims of the Libyan antics but fulfil their mission in Benghazi, and that's a qualification to the group stage."

Recall both Rivers United and Plateau United fell to the antics of the northern clubs when they respectively lost to defending champions Wydad Casablanca and Esperance to drop from the Champions League to the Confederation Cup playoffs.