CAF Champions League
MAKE OR BREAK FOR ASANTE KOTOKO AGAINST KANO PILLARS
Former winners Asante Kotoko will be hoping to count on their two away goals to overturn a 3-2 loss to Kano Pillars in the first leg of the preliminary round clash of the CAF Champions League at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano.
Playing in front of their teeming fans on Sunday, the clarion call is to give Pillars a taste of their own medicine and seek qualification to the next stage of the premier continental club competition.
It will be a time the players are expected to prove their worth and clout in continental competitions, having featured in the CAF Confederation Cup last season where they exited at the group stage.
All eyes will be on head coach Kjetil Zachariassen who mentioned after the first leg, mentioned that they deserved something from the game, but was sure of a flawless game in Kumasi.
“We did our best in the first game and I still believe that we should have picked at least a point. It was a very difficult game But that is in the past now.
“We have been very serious at training since we returned and the players are responding to the tactics,” the Norwegian said.
On his part, midfielder Habib Mohammed who played full throttle in the first leg has described the tie “make or break” for the Porcupine Warriors.
“Kano Pillars were a very hard nut to crack in the first leg. But we have reviewed the game and seen our lapses and theirs as well. So we are working on it at training with the hope that we will overturn that 3-2 scoreline on Sunday.”
“We managed to get two away goals and that will count for something after Sunday’s game”, the former Ashanti gold midfielder who is in his second season with Kotoko mentioned.
“We know the fans will be expecting us to do all we can to win the game and qualify to the next stage, and that is what we hope to achieve.
“This time, we have to be cautious in our approach and not to allow in any goals and make sure we ship in as many as possible. Our destiny lies in our hands and that it’s achievable, so Sunday”, he added.
Kano Pillars coach head coach, Ibrahim Musah has sounded a caution to the two-time African champions not to get carried away by their two away goals, but to brace up for what could be their toughest game yet, an action he believes will send Kotoko packing out of the Champions League.
“We are coming to Ghana to beat Asante Kotoko, the same way we did to Al Ahly SC in Egypt after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Sani Abacha stadium”, he mentioned in an interview with Kumasi based radio station, Nhyira FM.
Fixtures
Friday, 23 August 2019
- Al Ahly (Egypt) vs Atlabara (South Sudan) (4-0)
- KCCA (Uganda) vs African Stars (Namibia) (2-3)
- Cote d’Or (Seychelles) vs Fomboni (Comoros) (2-2)
Saturday, 24 August 2019
- Raja Athletic Club (Morocco) vs Brikama United (Gambia) (3-3)
- El Merreikh (Sudan) vs JS Kabylie (Algeria) (0-1)
- Zamalek (Egypt) vs Dekadaha (Somalia) (7-0)
- Generation Foot (Senegal) vs LPRC Oilers (Liberia) (0-1)
- Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) vs Hafia (Guinea) (1-2)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) vs AS Otoho (Congo) (1-2)
- Zesco United (Zambia) vs Green Mamba (Eswatini) (2-0)
- Township Rollers (Botswana) vs Young Africans (Tanzania) (1-1)
- FC Platinum (Zimbabwe) vs Big Bullets (Malawi) (0-0)
- Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) vs KMKM (Zanzibar) (2-0)
- Orlando Pirates (South Africa) vs Green Eagles (Zambia) (0-1)
Sunday, 25 August 2019
- *El Nasr (Libya) vs Tempete Mocaf (Central African Republic) (0-1)
- Horoya (Guinea) vs Stade Malien (Mali) (1-1)
- ASCK (Togo) vs Buffles (Benin) (1-1)
- AS Vita (Cameroon) vs UMS de Loum (Cameroon) (0-0)
- El Hilal (Sudan) vs Rayon Sports (Rwanda) (1-1)
- Enyimba (Nigeria) vs Rahimo (Burkina Faso) (0-1)
- USM Alger (Algeria) vs SONIDEP (Niger) (2-1)
- Gor Mahia (Kenya) vs Aigle Noir (Burundi) (0-0)
- Mekelle (Ethiopia) vs Cano Sport (Equatorial Guinea) (1-2)
- Asante Kotoko (Ghana) vs Kano Pillars (Nigeria) (2-3)
- Petro Atletico (Angola) vs Matlama (Lesotho)(2-0)
- Nouadhibou (Mauritania) vs SOA (Cote d’Ivoire) (0-0)
- Elect Sport (Chad) vs CMS (Gabon) (0-0)
- Simba (Tanzania) vs UD Songo (0-0)
- Pamplemousses (Mauritius) vs Fosa Juniors (Madagascar (0-1)
*Match will be played in Cairo (Egypt)
– CAF
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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