CAF Champions League
Rangers join Rivers United in Champions League Crash
Enugu Rangers followed Rivers United in crashing out of the CAF Champions League on Sunday after struggling to a 2-1 defeat of Zamalek of Egypt at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu. Aggregate score line of 3-5 in favour of the Egyptians means that Enugu Rangers have dropped into play-off for a place in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The exit of the duo form the Champions League may affect the number of teams Nigeria will register next year.
Zamalek have also added the Enugu war loads to the list of causalities that the Egyptian club has eliminated from continental championship. Before Sunday’s elimination of Enugu Rangers, Zamalek had twice overcome Shooting Stars in 1984 and 1997, Super Stores in 1993, Kwara United in 1999 and Enyimba in 2016.
The Egyptians, apparently aware that the home side would put up an attacking strategy from the beginning tried to curtail the early incursion of Enugu Rangers. It was almost at the dot of half time that Rangers were able to pull a goal back through Tope Olusesi.
With just two more goals needed to cancel out the Egyptians, Rangers again began the second half pressing to increase the tally.
Zamalek goalkeeper Mahmoud Abdel Rahim, who is better known as Genesh, pulled off a double save after restart as Rangers continued their dominance.
With his side trailing, Mohammed Helmy, the Zamalek coach, introduced striker Bassem Morsy in the 62nd minute as the visitors looked to equalize. The Egypt international made an immediate impact as he scored to level matters against Rangers eight minutes later.
However, Rangers pushed forward in search of another goal in order to restore their lead and they were awarded a penalty with fifteen minutes left on the clock. Godwin Aguda then stepped up and first past Genesh to make it 2-1 to Rangers.
But Zamalek stood firm at the back in the dying minutes and the hosts won 2-1. Also on Sunday, the defending champions, TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo suffered a shock exit from the competition losing on the away-goals ruling to Zimbabwe’s CAPS United in Harare.
Mazembe were under pressure after being held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their last-32 tie at home in Lubumbashi last weekend.
The away-goal proved to be crucial for CAPS United who withstood the pressure from Mazembe in the second leg in Harare, earning a 0-0 draw. Mazembe, won the African Champions League in 2015, were left frustrated by the Zimbabwean underdogs on Sunday in their search for a goal.
As in the first leg in Lubumbashi, CAPS United’s goalkeeper, Edmore Sibanda, stood firm to deny the DR Congo giants a chance to score. It means Mazembe now drop into the African Confederation Cup play-off round, where they will look to defend the title they won in 2016.
The result is a huge accomplishment for CAPS United of Zimbabwe who have returned to the African Champions League after an 11-year absence. They will now enter the group phase of the tournament which has been expanded from eight to 16 clubs.
Nigeria’s sole survivor into the second round of the CAF Champions League, Enugu Rangers have crashed out of the competition. They lost 3-1 to Angola’s Sagrada Esperança this Sunday in Luanda.
The aggregate scoreline is 3-2 as Rangers last weekend won their home game 1-0. Sagrada Esperança opened the game with offensive and got their first goal barely six minutes into the game when Alexandre Fernando found the back of the net.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 33rd minute through Mussa. But four minutes later, Enugu Rangers reduced the tally to 2-1 to carry an away goal advantage into half time.
Jamie Pimpao got the much needed goal for Angola in the 67th minute to seal the hopes of Rangers.
Sagrada Esperança will now go into next month’s draw for the draw of the group stage.
CAF Champions League 2nd Preliminary Round action resumed on Saturday, 14 September following the resumption of the Africa’s premium club competition on Friday.
It was mostly the travelling teams that secured victories away from home on Saturday, who put themselves in fairly comfortable situations ahead of the return leg next week.
Orlando Pirates had a mental obstacle to overcome in Gaborone against Jwaneng Galaxy, having to face the same side that eliminated them in the same phase of the competition last season.
The former champions secured a 2-0 victory in Gaborone to put themselves in a comfortable position ahead of the return leg next weekend.
Five-time champions, TP Mazembe were away to Red Arrows in Zambia where they also put two past their hosts ahead of the return leg in Lubumbashi.
Mamelodi Sundowns, who played their away match in the comfort of their home stadium against Swaziland’s Mbabane Swallows made use of home ground advantage with a comfortable 4-0 win over their neighbours.
Tanzanian champions, Young Africans secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over CBE SA of Rwanda as Tanzanian giants continue to chase a continental title.
It was a rather tough outing for Moroccan outfit, AS FAR when they travelled to Sudan to face Al Merrikh. A highly entertaining encounter concluded with a 2-2 draw, ahead of the return leg in Morocco.
Egyptian side, Pyramids FC also played out to a draw when they were held 1-1 by APR FC in Rwanda.
Burkina Faso side, Association Sportive des Douanes out up an impressive showing when they edged Algeria’s CR Belouizdad by 1-0.
The first leg of the 2nd Preliminary Round concludes on Sunday, with five interesting encounters lined up, including reigning champions Al Ahly kick starting their title defense away from home.
TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Results & Fixtures:
Friday, 13 September
Enugu Rangers 1 – 0 Sagrada Esperanca
Monastir 0 – 1 MC Alger
Saturday, 14 September
CBE SA 0 – 1 Young Africans
Red Arrows 0 – 2 TP Mazembe
Al-Merrikh 2 – 2 AS FAR
Jwaneng Galaxy FC 0 – 2 Orlando Pirates FC
Maniema Union 2 – 1 Petro de Luanda
Djoliba 1 – 0 ASKO
Douanes 1 – 0 CR Belouizdad
Sunday, 15 September
12h00 GMT | Gor Mahia vs Al Ahly
15h00 GMT | Samartex vs Raja CA
16h00 GMT | San Pedro vs Al-Hilal
16h00 GMT | Dekedaha vs ES Tunis
19h00 GMT | Stade d’Abidjan vs Milo FC
The return leg fixtures of the 2nd Preliminary stage will be played between 20 – 22 September.
-CAF
Enugu Rangers’ patchy form in the CAF Champions League continues as they struggled to beat visiting Angola’s Sagrada Esperance 1-0 in the first leg match played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.
It was in similar fashion that they played against Union Sportive de Zilimadjou of Comoros Islands who they beat 2-1 over two legs in Uyo.
Rangers’ lone goal was scored by Kazeem Ogunleye in the 80th minute.
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