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CAF Champions League

Finidi George in winning debut with Enyimba

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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CAF Champions League

Enugu Rangers crash out of Champions League

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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.

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CAF Champions League: Travelling teams secure victories on the road

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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-CAF

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CAF Champions League

Enugu Rangers in slim CAF Champions League win over Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca

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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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