Rivers United’s Joseph Onoja believes the Nigerian side can turn in another supreme effort against title-holders Wydad Casablanca this weekend to reach the African Champions League group stage for the first time.

Bouly Sambou gave three-time African champions Wydad a first-half lead that lasted only two minutes before Malachi Ohawume equalised, while Paul Acquah scored the 53rd-minute winner for the hosts.

“We bounced back from a debatable goal to win at home and we know what awaits us from their fans and the antics in Morocco,” midfielder Onoja, 23, told BBC Sport Africa.

“One thing I am sure of is that Wydad fans won’t come on the pitch to play. It’s us against the players and as defending champions, they will be under pressure.

“The most important thing for us is to walk away from the Mohammed V Stadium with a group-stage ticket.”

Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, the sole sponsor of Rivers United, rewarded each player with $20,000 for winning the Nigerian league for the first time in their history in June.

Wike has since doubled the incentive, with players expected to pocket $40,000 each should they eliminate Wydad and become the first Nigerian club into the group stage since Lobi Stars in 2018-19.

“This is our job, career and profession. But for the governor to promise us such an amount of money, I think it’s just an extra motivation,” said Onoja.

“The main motivation for us is our careers because beating Wydad and making a name for ourselves by reaching the group stage will definitely lift our profile.

“Whether they like it or not, we’re going with our own tactics. We know what we can do to get the game out of their hands, and to be the best we have to beat the best in Wydad.”

Struggling champions

After an impressive 2-0 victory over record 10-time winners Al Ahly of Egypt in the last Champions League final, Wydad have suffered setbacks on and off the field.

Coach Walid Regragui resigned and has since become the coach of World Cup-bound Morocco.

He was succeeded by Houcine Ammouta, who saw his team crash 2-0 to underdogs Renaissance Berkane in an all-Moroccan Caf Super Cup match.

Now, Wydad must win at home against Rivers on Sunday to avoid a shock elimination from the premier African club competition, which would see them drop into the second-tier Caf Confederation Cup.

Elsewhere, a joyful day for Nigeria in the Champions League was completed when Plateau United also came from behind to beat four-time winners Esperance of Tunisia 2-1 in Abuja.

All the goals came in the first half with Mustapha Ibrahim scoring the match winner after Ifeanyi Emmanuel had cancelled out the lead which Anice Badri gave the visitors.

Confederation Cup holders Renaissance Berkane were also beaten in the first leg of their second preliminary round tie, losing 3-1 to Kwara United, another Nigerian side.

Record-equalling Sundowns

Meanwhile, South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns equalled the record margin for an away win in the Champions League by trouncing La Passe of the Seychelles 7-0 in Pretoria.

Zamalek of Egypt set the benchmark in 2020 when they won 7-0 in an away fixture against Dekedaha of Somalia, with the Cairo club benefitting from the Somalis conceding home advantage and agreeing to play both matches in the Egyptian capital.

La Passe, whose ground does not meet international standards, also surrendered home advantage to Sundowns, and paid the price as they fell five goals behind by half-time.

A braver, more organised second-half showing from the Indian Ocean outfit restricted 2016 African champions Sundowns to two more goals.

Six players shared in the goal fest with Uruguayan Gaston Sirino scoring twice as Sundowns once again overwhelmed opponents from the Seychelles.

When Sundowns crushed Cote d’Or 11-1 in the second leg of a 2020 qualifier, they equalled the record for a Champions League home win and created one with a 16-1 overall victory.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s Al Merrikh beat Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli 2-0, while Angola’s Petro Atletico and Simba of Tanzania claimed big away wins at Cape Town City of South Africa and Angola’s Primeiro de Agosto, triumphing 3-0 and 3-1 respectively.

African Champions League second preliminary round first leg results

• Rivers United FC (Nigeria) 2-1 Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
• Plateau United FC (Nigeria) 2-1 Esperance (Tunisia)
• ASN Nigelec (Niger) 0-2 Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
• US Monastir (Tunisia) 0-1 Al Ahly SC (Egypt)
• Vipers SC (Uganda) 0-0 TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
• La Passe FC (Seychelles) 0-7 Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
• ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) 0-1 Horoya AC (Guinea)
• ASKO Kara (Togo) 1-2 JS Kabylie (Algeria)
• Djoliba AC de Bamako (Mali) 2-1 CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
• Young Africans (Tanzania) 1-1 Al Hilal (Sudan)
• Al Merrikh (Sudan) 2-0 Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya)
• Flambeau de Centre (Burundi) 0-1 Zamalek SC (Egypt)
• Cape Town City FC (South Africa) 0-3 Petro Atletico (Angola)
• Primeiro Agosto (Angola) 1-3 Simba (Tanzania)
• Royal Leopards FC (Eswatini) 1-1 Coton Sport (Cameroon)

Second legs 14-16 October. Winners qualify for group stage.

Caf Confederation Cup second preliminary round first leg results

• Kwara United (Nigeria) 3-1 RS Berkane (Morocco)
• SC Gagnoa (Ivory Coast) 1-0 JS Saoura (Algeria)
• ASC Kara (Togo) 0-2 USM Alger (Algeria)
• AS Real de Bamako (Mali) 3-0 Accra Hearts of Oak (Ghana)
• Hilal Alsahil (Sudan) 0-2 Pyramids (Egypt)
• Fasil Kenema SC (Ethiopia) 0-0 CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
• Association Sportive de Kigali (Rwanda) 0-0 El Nasr (Libya)
• Kipanga (Zanzibar) 0-0 Club Africain (Tunisia)
• Al Akhder (Libya) 3-0 Azam (Tanzania)
• Royal AM (South Africa) 0-0 Zesco United FC (Zambia)
• FC Saint Eloi Lupopo (DR Congo) 2-0 Sagrada Esperanca (Angola)
• St Michel United (Seychelles) 1-0 DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo)
• Ferroviario Da Beira (Mozambique) 2-1 Diables Noirs (Congo)
• ELGECO Plus (Madagascar) 1-3 Marumo Gallants FC (South Africa)
• AS FAR (Morocco) 4-0 Anglogold Ashanti Golden Boys (Guinea)
• Kallon (Sierra Leone) 0-2 Future (Egypt)

Second legs 14-16 October. Winners qualify for play-off round against losers of Champions League second preliminary round ties.