CAF Champions League: Rangers out, so is Nigeria out of the groups?

Rangers had won the first leg 2-0. Chahreddine Boukholda scored two minutes before the hour, Mohamed Bangoura added another six minutes from time and Soufiane Bayazid scored in stoppage time.

Goalkeeper Destiny Abuchi saved a Bangoura penalty in the 70th minute. Rivers United had already gone out in the first preliminary round, so no Nigerian club is in the group phase.

What the exit means for Nigeria With both Nigerian entrants gone from the Champions League, the continent's biggest club competition continues without a team from the country. Soccernet set out the stakes for the second legs inits look at the Rangers and El-Kanemi ties.

Analysis: the save that kept the tie alive All three Algerian goals came in the second half, and the aggregate arithmetic shows how narrow the tie was. When Abuchi saved the 70th-minute penalty, Rangers still led 2-1 on aggregate.

Had it gone in, the tie would have been level at 2-2 with 20 minutes left. Bangoura's goal six minutes from time made it 2-2 on aggregate, and the stoppage-time goal settled it.

The two-goal first-leg cushion was gone by the 84th minute. Rangers' attention now turns to the league, where Soccernet looked earlier this week atwhy Rangers hold the edge over Rivers United at the top.

The next test for Rangers is domestic. Buddy Balogun Buddy Balogun is an experienced reporter with an extensive track record covering all things Nigerian soccer, from the Super Eagles to Nigerian players abroad.

Favourite Nigerian team = MFM FC; Greatest Super Eagles legend = Jay-Jay Okocha (obviously).