The Nigerian duo of Plateau United and Rivers United picked massive home wins against Libyan opponents in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup additional second preliminary round matches on Wednesday.
The two sides who dropped off from the Champions League earned wins that have literally put them one foot into the group stages.
Rivers were 5-0 winners over Al Nasr while Plateau thrashed Al Akhdar 4-1.
At the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Hacourt, Rivers took out the revenge on suffering a six-goal defeat in the Champions League at the hands of Wydad Athletic Club to Nasr, with a five-star home performance.
They were 2-0 up after 15 minutes. Ebube Duru gave them a 12th minute lead from the penalty spot after Ghanaian Paul Acquah was brought down inside the box by the Al Nasr keeper. Three minutes later, Enyinnaya Kazie doubled their lead.
The home side were taking control of proceedings and had more chances with Joseph Onoja and Chibuzor Ohawume having efforts sail wide.
They however made it 3-0 just before halftime when Acquah found the back of the net with a clean finish.
They made it 4-0 in the 64th minute, Duru completing his brace of penalties to get the score comfortable for the Nigerian side. Eighteen minutes to time, Malachi Ohawume completed the job with a thunderbolt from distance.
At the New Jos Stadium, Plateau hit Akhdar 4-1 to give themselves some good space for the return tie next week. Ibrahim Mustafa and Onyebuchi Ifeanyi scored in the 27th and 40th minutes to give the home side a 2-0 comfort at the break.
Albert Hillary's acrobatic goal with quarter of an hour to play surely but sealed Plateau's win and despite the visitors pulling one back 10 minutes later, Hillary added his second in added time to seal the victory.
Meanwhile, defending champions RS Berkane will have work to do in the return leg after suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Tunisia's US Monastir away from home. Abdelkader Boutiche scored the lone goal for the Tunisians in the 10th minute.
Last season's semi-finalists Al Ahli Tripoli also clinched a vital 1-0 victory, beating Marumo Gallants of South Africa at the June 11 Stadium to give themselves a slender advantage heading into the return fixture.
Congolese giants TP Mazembe meanwhile took a good stride towards the group stages with a 2-0 win over South Africa's Royal AM with second half goals from Ernest Luzolo and long-serving Zambian Rainford Kalaba.
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Fellow Congolese side DC Motema Pembe also picked up a similar result away to Burundi's Flambeau du Centre while Asec Mimosas took the Ivorian bragging rights after beating Sporting Gagnoa by a similar scoreline at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.
The return tie matches will be played in a week's time and the aggregate winners will qualify into the group stages.
First Leg Results
RC Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) 0-1 FC St Eloi Lupopo (RD Congo)
Royal Leopards 'ESwatini) 1-1 As Real Bamako (Mali)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo) 2-0 Royal AM (South Africa)
CD Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) 1-1 Future FC (Egypt)
ASEC Mimosas (Côte d'Ivoire) 2-0 Sporting Club de Gagnoa (Côte d'Ivoire)
Djoliba AC (Mali) 0-0 ASFAR Club (Morocco)
Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) 1-0 Marumo Gallants (South Africa)
ASKO de Kara (Togo) 2-1 CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
Young Africans (Tanzania) 0-0 Club Africain (Tunisia)
Flambeau du centre (Burundi) 0-2 DC Motema Pembe (RD Congo)
Rivers United (Nigeria) 5-0 El Nasr (Libya)
US Monastirienne (Tunisia) 1-0 RS Berkane (Morocco)
Cape Town City (South Africa) 0-0 USM Alger (Algeria)
ASN Nigelec (Niger) 1-0 Pyramids FC (Egypt)
La Passe FC (Seychelles) - CSM Diables Noirs (Congo)
Plateau United (Nigeria) 4-1 Al Akhder (Libya)
