El-Kanemi Warriors came away with a hard-earned 2-2 draw against Moroccan heavyweights Raja Casablanca in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round, played at the Remo Stars Sports Complex in Ikenne on Sunday.

The Nigerian club flew out of the blocks, breaking the deadlock as early as the 6th minute after controlling the opening phase of the match. Raja Casablanca hit back in the 23rd minute, however, when Mohammad Abu Zrayq levelled proceedings to send both sides into the dressing room level at half-time.

The Moroccan visitors seized the initiative shortly after the hour mark, with Nigerian-born forward Mathias Oyewusi putting them ahead for the first time on the day. It looked as though El-Kanemi Warriors might be heading for defeat on home soil — but they refused to fold.

With seven minutes remaining, Nnamdi Mejuobi delivered a vital equaliser to restore parity and earn the hosts a share of the spoils. The 2-2 scoreline leaves the tie perfectly poised ahead of the return leg, which is scheduled to take place in Casablanca on Friday, October 23.

Both sides will be confident of advancing to the next round when they meet again in Morocco, with the tie finely balanced and everything still to play for.