CAF Champions League
CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: ESPERANCE FIGHT BACK IN FINAL
BY APESIN ADEMOLA.
Espérance have a mountain to climb as the CAF Champions League gets to crescendo. The Tunisians will have to fight back to cancel a 1-3 deficit acquired in the encounter with Al Ahly a week ago in a tempestuous first leg of the continental showpiece in Alexandria.
The Alexandria encounter was marred by questionable decisions by the centre referee Walid Azarou, who awarded two unfair penalties to the home team. Both decisions were Video Assistant Referee (VAR) aided.
The second leg has been overshadowed by the controversies of the first encounter, including Azarou’s shirt-tearing celebration, which attracted CAF ban for the Al-Ahly attacker, and also asked manager Patrice Carteron to answer disciplinary query over his own conduct.
All said, Espérance believe they can add to their two previous triumphs in this competition by cancelling the deficit and going on to stop the Egyptian side from a record extending ninth title in Africa’s most glamorous club tournaments.
Coach Moine Chaabani is upset about the Alexandria show, which he described as “extreme injustice.” But he has asked his charges to respond with a commanding performance in the field of play.
The Tunis-based team will miss the services of two key players – Chamseddine Dhaouadi in defence and midfielder Franck Kom – who Chaabani is convinced were unfairly booked.
Espérance won the competition in 1994 and 2011 and had been in the final four other times.
Ahly have the advantage. They surely understand this tournament so well. As recent as the last edition, the Red Devils were in the final losing 1-2 aggregate to Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca. And they will not want a repeat experience so soon.
Not only will the winning team claim the trophy and the US$2.5 million cash prize, they will also go on to represent the continent in the FIFA Club World Cup next month in the United Arab Emirates.
Fixture…
CAF Champions League (Final second leg):
- Espérance (Tunisia) v Al-Ahly (Egypt) (first leg Al-Ahly 3-1) (8pm)
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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