The Nigeria Professional Football League 2021-22 season runners-up Plateau United yesterday cruised to the second round of CAF Champions League following a 1-0 win over Gabonese AS Stade Mandji courtesy of Haggai Katoh’s 65^th-minute strike.

Nigeria’s representatives thus booked a place in the next round with a 3-2 aggregate win.

After a scoreless first half, Katoh netted the only goal of the game in the 65^th minute and handed Plateau United a vital victory.

The visiting side proved a hard nut to crack right from the blast of the whistle and they were able to take the game to Nigeria’s representative.

The away draw and goals secured by Plateau United last weekend in Franceville gave them confidence as they were able to nullify all the attacking threats of the Gabonese team.

Plateau United will now prepare for to face Tunisian giants Esperance Sportive of Tunis with the first leg in Nigeria on the weekend of October 7-9 before the return leg in Tunis a week later.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s league reigning champions, Rivers United also scaled through to the second round despite losing 1-0 in Monrovia against debutants, Watanga FC.

The Pride of Rivers conceded a goal in the first quarter of the game from the penalty spot but they held on to pull through 3-1 on aggregate.

Rivers United will now face defending Champions of the competition, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the next round for a group stage spot

Monza won their first ever match in Serie A on Sunday, stunning 10-man Juventus 1-0 to pile more pressure on under-fire Massimiliano Allegri.

Christian Gytkjaer netted a historic goal 15 minutes from the end at the U-Power Stadium to move the club owned by Silvio Berlusconi off the bottom of the table and end Juve’s unbeaten start to the season.

Monza took their first three points of the campaign in their first match under Raffaele Palladino, who replaced sacked Giovanni Stroppa on Tuesday.

They are still in the relegation zone but a single point behind 17^th -placed Verona, who lost 2-0 at Fiorentina.

Troubled Juventus, who lost Angel Di Maria to a straight red card five minutes before half-time, sit in eighth after winning just two of their opening seven matches.

They are six points behind provisional league leaders Udinese following their 3-1 win over Inter Milan earlier on Sunday.

Before the match, Juventus’s CEO said it would be “crazy” to sack Allegri, under contract until 2025 on a reported salary of eight million Euros a year.

But a poor start in Italy and two defeats in their opening two Champions League matches have put Allegri in the firing line for supporters, criticized not only for bad results but also for the uninspiring football his team is playing.

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