CAF Champions League
Finidi George in winning debut with Enyimba
ASC Diambars 0-1 Enyimba
Former Super Eagles’ star player, Finidi George began his coaching career with Enyimba on a winning note as Cyril Olisema scored from the spot three minutes from time to give Nigeria’s Enyimba a precious away 1-0 win over Senegal’s ASC Diambars in Thies.
The game looked in its way to barren stalemate, till two-time African champions Enyimba were awarded a penalty after 87 minutes, and Olisema kept his nerves to give The People’s Elephants the match winner.
Algeria’s duo JS Kabylie and JS Saoura achieved precious away victories in Morocco and Mauritania respectively, as former champions RS Berkane of Morocco and Nigeria’s Enyimba also recorded wins away from home on Saturday in TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Second Preliminary Round first leg matches.
Egypt’s Pyramids and Al Masry both had goalless draws in East Africa, while Botswana’s Orapa United recorded a famous home win over seasonal campaigners Coton Sport of Cameroon. There was also a home victory for Zambia’s Red Arrows.
Azam 0-0 Pyramids
2020 finalists and last season semifinalists Pyramids started their campaign, holding Tanzanian hosts Azam to a goalless draw in Dar es Salaam.
The Egyptians had their chance to grab an away win, but without finding the back of the net, while Azam tried to test Pyramids goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy in a couple of occasions but in vain.
Pyramids hosts the return leg in Cairo next weekend.
Orapa United 2-1 Coton Sport
In Gaborone, Botswana’s Orapa United stunned last season semifinalists Coton Sport of Cameroon to beat them 2-1.
Orapa, who will just complete their tenth birthday next year, took the lead through Mabatshi Elias at the half hour mark and went to the break leading 1-0.
Two minutes after the break, Souaibou Marou equalized for Coton Sport, as the visitors looked on their way to a valuable away draw.
But Thabang Mosigi restored Orapa’s lead after 61 minutes, a lead the hosts kept to the final whistle, and will try to defend in Garoua next weekend.
Red Arrows 1-0 Primeiro de Agosto
James Chamanga scored after 38 minutes what proved to be the game’s lone goal in Lusaka, as Zambia’s Red Arrows emerged 1-0 victorious over Angola’s Primeiro de Agosto.
Uganda Revenue Authority 0-0 Al Masry
In Kampala, Egyptian side Al Masry held their hosts Uganda Revenue Authoruty to a goalless draw, hoping to find their way to the next round when they host the return leg in Alexandria next weekend.
Al Masry will blame themselves for not returning home with a win, as they wasted the game’s best chance. Amr Moussa shot from the spot rebounded from the post, as the Egyptians should have taken the lead after 18 minutes.
US Ben Guerdane 0-1 RS Berkane
2020 champions RS Berkane of Morocco returned from Tunisia with a precious away 1-0 victory over US Ben Guerdane to pave their way to the next round.
Youssef El Fahli scored as early as the ninth minute in Monastir, as Berkane held to their advantage till the final whistle.
ASAC Concorde 1-2 JS Saoura
In Nouakchott, Algeria’s JS Saoura scored twice in the final five minutes to deny their Mauritanian hosts ASAC Concorde from what could have been a famous home victory.
Idrissa Thiam gave Concorde the lead from the spot after 9 minutes, and the hosts looked on their way to record victory as they held on to the lead till the 85th minute.
But Mohamed Daoud equalized for JS Saoura five minutes from time, and few seconds before the final whistle, Aimen Lahmri made it to 2-1 for the visitors who came from behind to record an away win.
AS FAR 0-1 JS Kabylie
Algeria’s JS Kabylie returned from neighboring Morocco with a 1-0 victory over AS FAR in Rabat.
Ali Haroun shot was deflected by FAR defender Mohamed Moufid to give JS KAbylie the lead after 19 minutes. The visitors stood strong against the Moroccans’ numerous trials to find an equalizer to emerge victorious.
The return leg will take place in Tizi Ouzou next weekend.
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.
CAF Champions League
VIDEO: Controversial penalty kick remains a talking point in Remo Stars’ elimination
But for the questionable penalty kick awarded for AS FAR of Morocco in the 78th minute of the tension-soaked CAF Champions League duel with Remo Stars on Sunday in Rabat, the complexion of the final result as well as the aggregate scorelines may have been different.
Match scoreline stood at 1-1 before the referee, Adissa Abdul Raphiou Ligali of Benin Republic, who was midway to the centre circle suddenly blew his whistle and awarded a penalty kick to the hosts.
Before then, all body contacts had been ruled against Remo Stars. Even, the Moroccans looked amused when the referee, who was off the scene suddenly ran into the penalty area and awarded a penalty kick for an incident, even if it were an infraction, happened outside the penalty box.
The award of the penalty kick and the conversion by El Amine Zouhzouh, literaly sealed Remo Stars thin hope of advancing.
The Nigerian side left it too late as they only came out to attack after their hopes had been sealed.
In starting the crucial match, their lead scorer, Sikiru Alimi and assist master, Sodiq Ismail were brought in only after the damage had been done. It was after the first goal in the 51st minute that Alimi was brought in in the 54th minute.
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