CAF Champions League
CAF ORDERS REMATCH AS ESPERANCE ARE STRIPPED OF CHAMPIONS’ LEAGUE TITLE
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Emergency Committee that sat in Paris has officially decided that the 2018/2019 CAF Champions League game will be a rematch after the VAR controversy.
The rematch between Esperance of Tunisia and Wydad of Morocco will take place on neutral ground. According to Morocco World News quoting television channel, Arriyadia, the game will take place in South Africa.
The executive committee is considering if the Rades Stadium, in Tunisia, should be suspended as a consequence of the foul play from one of its referees in combination with the Video Assistant Referee technology (VAR) being out-of-order during crucial moments of the match.
There might also be a fine for Esperance and the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF).
FTF requested that the match be scheduled after CAN 2019 in Egypt. That request has allegedly been denied.
After a football scandal that Wydad Athletic Club chairman, Said Naciri has deemeda “total shame for African football,” CAF had convened an emergency meeting in Paris to examine the unprecedented controversies between Tunisian Esperance and WAC.
The scandal was caused when the VAR, was said to not be functioning when it was necessary to review critical moments of the match. By not having the VAR in functioning order prior to the match, the referee allegedly breached several rules of the game, costing WAC the goal which would have tied the CAF Champions League 2018/2019.
WAC players protested the referee when Esperance was declared the championship winner, leaving Wydad behind with the final score of 2-1 behind. CAF President Ahmad Ahmad sided with Wydad, arguing that the goal, which was rejected during the second leg, was legitimate. Eventually, he called for an emergency meeting to be held on Tuesday to discuss the VAR controversy during the second leg.
On Tuesday, CAF decided to postpone this emergency meeting about the CAF Champions League game until after the re-election of FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
CAF Champions League
Enugu Rangers crash out of Champions League
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
CAF Champions League: Travelling teams secure victories on the road
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
CAF Champions League
Enugu Rangers in slim CAF Champions League win over Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca
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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