CAF Champions League
LOBI STARS, RANGERS AIM TO GO FURTHER IN AFRICA
BY APESIN ADEMOLA.
The campaign to have Nigerian clubs register impressive results in CAF club competitions sees Lobi Stars and Enugu Rangers on the road as two tournaments conclude the first leg of their first round matches this weekend.
Lobi Stars, the Nigerian Premier Football League champions, will take the field on Sunday at the Moi International Sports Complex, Nairobi against Kenya’s dominant club Gor Mahia, while Rangers have their turn earlier on Saturday in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria against USM Bel Abbès.
The Ortom Boys, as Lobi Stars are fondly called in honour of Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, navigated Cameroon’s UMS de Lou 2-1 aggregate in the preliminary round, losing 0-1 away in the first leg.
Also known as the “Pride of Benue”, Lobi Stars are up against a Gor Mahia team which boost of experience in continental competitions. K’Ogalo won the African Cup Winners Cup in 1987 and have featured in that competition (now known as CAF Confederation Cup) seven times.
Gor Mahia were defeated at this stage in this same competition last edition by eventual champions Espérance, and would strive not to have a repeat experience having not gone past the quarterfinals in all 12 times of qualifying for the tournament, whether as CAFChampions League or as African Cup of Champions Clubs.
Kenya’s most successful club with 17 Premier League crowns struggled through the preliminary round to qualify to face Lobi Stars. A lone goal victory over Malawi’s Nyasa Big Bulletsi n Nairobi on November 28 was followed by the same margin of defeat in the reverse fixture. The Kenyan squad had to go through nail-baiting penalty shootouts to survive.
In recent time, Gor Mahia have played English PremierLeague side Everton losing 0-4 at Goodison Park, while also losing the Kenyan SuperCup match to Kariobangi Sharks 0-1. Zedekiah Otieno’s team started the defence of their Premier League title with a 1-2 defeat by to Bandari on December 8 but returned four days later to beat Zoo Kericho 4-0 to lead the table having played two matches as against one by their hot chasers.
For Gor Mahia fans however, there is the concern of a brewing players’ revolt which Lobi Stars may capitalise on. Two days to the fixture, the players threatened to down boots over unpaid salaries.
“We might skip the match and give them (Lobi Stars) a walkover. This is becoming too much. Can you imagine staying without salary and they want you to perform on the pitch?” a top player, who sought anonymity told Goal.com.
Lobi Stars have not played too many competitive matches as the NPFL current season is yet to commence. Apart from the two fixtures against their Cameroonian opposition, the only other game by the Makurdi-based side was the 1-0 victory in the NFF SuperCup against Rangers on November 20.
Coach Solomon Ogbeide and his team will be reminded that the only other time they ever participated in this competition in 2000, they reached the group stage but finished third behind compatriots Heartland as well as Ghana’s Heart of Oaks and Al-Ahly of Egypt.“Of course, we know that Gor Mahia are a very big club from Kenya but the business…is the match on the field of play and Lobi Stars are also a big team,”Ogbeide boasted in an interview with cafonline.com.
For Rangers, it was easy passage from the preliminary to the first round. Ethiopia’s Defence SC fell apart 2-0 in Enugu and 3-1 in front of their fans.
The Flying Antelopes were African Cup Winners Cup way back in 1977, having reached the final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs two years earlier. In all, Rangers have featured in the Champions League (including when it was the African Cup of Champions Clubs) 10 times.
Rangers’ opponents USM Bel Abbès won this year’s Algerian Cup to qualify for this competition but are currently 10th in the domestic Ligue 1.They had played much of their life in the lower division.
Bel Abbès were in the African Cup Winners Cup in 1992, exiting in the second round. This is their first time in Africa since that competition was merged with the then CAF Cup to form the CAF Confederation Cup in 2004.
In the preliminary round, USM Bel Abbès beat Liberia’s LISCR FC 4-1 aggregate.
While the aggregate winners in the Champions League will go ahead to do battle in the 16-team group stage of four teams per group, the losers will descend to the Confederation Cup to face winners of the competition’s first round matches in the playoff, which will decide the 16teams for the group phase.
Saturday’s fixtures…
2018/19 CAF Champions League (First round first leg):
- JS Saoura (Algeria) v Ittihad Tanger (Morocco) (5:45pm)
- Stade Malien (Mali) v ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire) (6pm)
- Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) v ASC Diaraf (Senegal) (7pm)
- Orlando Pirates (South Africa) v African Stars FC (Namibia) (7:15pm)
2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup (First round first leg):
- USM Bel Abbès (Algeria) v Enugu Rangers (Nigeria) (4pm)
- Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia) v Stade d’Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) (4pm)
- Kariobangi Sharks (Kenya) v Ashante Kotoko SC (Ghana) (1pm)
- KCCA (Uganda) v Mtibwa Sugar (Tanzania) (2pm)
- Al-Ahli Tripoli (Libya) v New Star FC (Cameroon) (2pm)
- Green Eagles (Zambia) v NA Hussein Dey (Algeria) (2pm)
- Al-Masry (Egypt) v Salitas FC (Burkina Faso) (3.30pm)
- DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo) v FC San Pédro (Côte d’Ivoire) (3:30pm)
- RS Berkane (Morocco) v Al-Ittihad (Libya) (5pm)
- Al-Hilal Al-Ubayyid (Sudan) v Mukura Victory Sports (Rwanda) (5:30pm)
- Zamalek (Egypt) v AS CotonTchad (Chad) (6pm)
- CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) v Green Buffaloes (Zambia) (6pm)
- Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) v ASSM Elgeco Plus (Madagascar) (7:15pm)
Sunday’s fixtures…
2018/19 CAF Champions League (First round first leg):
- Gor Mahia (Kenya) v Lobi Stars (Nigeria) (2pm),
- AS Vita Club (DR Congo) v Bantu FC (Lesotho) (2:30pm)
- AS Otôho(Congo Republic) v FC Platinum (Zimbabwe) (3:30pm)
- Ismaily (Egypt) v Coton Sport (Cameroon) (4pm)
- Al-Ahly Benghazi (Libya) v Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) (4pm)
- TP Mazembe (DR Congo) v ZESCO United (Zambia) (4:30pm),
- Club Africain (Tunisia) v Al-Hilal (Sudan) (5pm)
- Nkana (Zambia) v Simba (Tanzania) (11pm)
2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup (First round first leg):
Raja Casablanca (Morocco) v Cercle Mbéri Sportif (Gabon) (5pm)
CAF Champions League
Heartbreak for Al Ahly as Sundowns edge to CAF Champions League final on away goals rule
Mamelodi Sundowns clinched a dramatic spot in the final of the CAF Champions League after holding Al Ahly to a 1-1 draw in Cairo on Friday night, progressing on the away goals rule.
After a tense 0-0 stalemate in the first leg in Pretoria, it was Al Ahly who drew first blood in the return leg at the Cairo International Stadium.
Taher Mohamed fired the hosts into the lead midway through the first half, smashing home from outside the box after being teed up by the lively Emam Ashour.
Backed by a passionate home crowd, Al Ahly dominated much of the first period and looked on course to finally break their winless streak against the South Africans.
But Mamelodi Sundowns showed their resilience and turned the tie on its head in the closing stages.
With ten minutes remaining, a low cross caused panic in the Ahly defence, resulting in Yasser Ibrahim inadvertently turning the ball into his own net under pressure from Peter Shalulile.
It was a heartbreaking moment for the Egyptian giants and a lifeline for Sundowns, who knew a 1-1 draw would be enough to see them through.
Al Ahly threw everything forward in search of a late winner, with substitutes Achraf Bencharki and Wessam Abou Ali both going close in a frantic finale.
But Sundowns, marshalled superbly by their backline and aided by a bit of fortune, held firm to seal a famous qualification.
It marks a significant milestone for Pretoria-based side, who have now gone nine consecutive matches unbeaten against the record African champions.
Sundowns’ reward is a place in the final, where they will face either Pyramids FC or Orlando Pirates — with the second semi-final set to be decided later.
For Al Ahly, it was a night of bitter disappointment despite their brave efforts, as their dream of a record-extending CAF Champions League title came to a crashing halt at home.
-CAF
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CAF Champions League
Late Mayele heroics send Pyramids into historic first final after five-goal thriller
The Egyptian side Pyramids sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory over Orlando Pirates in Cairo on Friday night to book their place in the final of the CAF Champions League for the first time in their history.
After a goalless first leg in Johannesburg, both sides came out determined at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium, and it was Pirates who struck first when Relebohile Mofokeng slotted home from close range midway through the first half.
The lead, however, was short-lived. Pyramids levelled just before half-time, with Fiston Mayele pouncing on a cross from Mostafa Fathi to restore parity.
The end-to-end nature of the contest continued after the break, and Pirates regained the advantage when Mohau Nkota fired in a superb low drive on 52 minutes.
Yet the Egyptian side showed their resolve in front of their home fans. Ramadan Sobhi rose highest to meet a Mohamed Chibi cross, heading past Sipho Chaine to make it 2-2 just moments later.
The decisive moment came with just six minutes remaining.
After a goalmouth scramble from a corner, Mayele reacted quickest, hammering the ball into the roof of the net to spark wild celebrations among the home faithful.
Despite late pressure from the South African visitors, including efforts from Tshegofatso Mabasa and Relebohile Mofokeng, Pyramids held on to secure a famous win and extend their remarkable unbeaten home record to 23 matches.
The result means Pyramids will face Mamelodi Sundowns, who earlier eliminated Al Ahly on away goals, in what promises to be a mouth-watering final.
For Orlando Pirates, it was a brave effort but one that ultimately fell short, ending their hopes of a second CAF Champions League title.
-CAF
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Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns are set for a blockbuster clash on Friday night at Cairo International Stadium as they battle for a place in the final of the CAF Champions League.
With the first leg in Pretoria ending goalless, everything is still to play for in this highly anticipated second-leg encounter.
Despite Al Ahly’s rich history and dominance in African club football, Sundowns have held the upper hand in recent meetings.
The South African giants are unbeaten in their last eight matches against the Cairo club, scoring 11 goals and conceding just five in that run.
Al Ahly have not defeated Sundowns since May 2021 and will be looking to overturn that trend on home soil.
The hosts have been rock solid at the back in this season’s Champions League, keeping three consecutive clean sheets.
Their defensive resilience will be key once again, especially against a Sundowns side that has failed to score in its last 216 minutes of continental action.
Peter Shalulile, with three goals to his name in the tournament, remains the Brazilians’ biggest threat up front.
Midfielder Emam Ashour has been pivotal to Al Ahly’s campaign, scoring five times — joint-highest in the competition — and will be expected to spark the attack once more.
Home advantage could prove crucial for the Egyptians.
They are unbeaten in their last six home games across all competitions and boast three wins from four home matches in this CAF Champions League campaign.
Sundowns, meanwhile, have struggled on the road, managing just one win in four away matches this season.
With a place in the final at stake, both sides will be pushing to make their mark in what promises to be a high-stakes, high-intensity clash under the Cairo lights.
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