Lobi Stars sealed qualification to the group stages of the CAF Champions League for the first time in 18 years after a second-half brace from Sikiru Alimi gave them victory over Kenyan side Gor Mahia in the second leg of their CAF Champions League qualifier at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu.

Lobi had trailed Gor Mahia 3 -1 on aggregate following a first leg loss in Kenya and needed to win by at least two clear goals whilst keeping a clean sheet to progress at the expense of the Kenyans.

It was goalless at the break and the longer the game wore on, the more unlikely it seemed Lobi would get the victory required to reach the group stages until striker Sikiru Alimi took matters into his own hands.

The former Sunshine Stars forward struck twice in the space of eight second-half minutes to put Lobi two up and tie the match 3 – 3 on aggregate, enough to secure a spot in the group stages of the CCL for Lobi on the away goals rule.

The victory marks a return to the group stage of the CCL for Lobi for the first time since 2000 when they could only manage a third-place finish behind Hearts of Oak of Ghana and Al Ahly of Egypt.