The tide continued to turn against Rivers United in the CAF Champions League as Zambia’s Power Dynamos claimed their first victory of Group A with a gritty 1–0 away win, tightening the race for qualification and further complicating the Nigerian side’s campaign.

In a contest defined by discipline and moments rather than dominance, the decisive breakthrough arrived five minutes after the restart.

Midfielder Kundwani Chiboni timed his run to perfection to latch onto a well-weighted pass from Prince Mumba before calmly slotting past the goalkeeper, silencing the home crowd and swinging momentum firmly in the visitors’ favour.

Rivers United had gone into the match seeking their first win of the group stage and showed encouraging spells of possession in the opening half. However, their build-up play yielded little end product, as Power Dynamos sat compact, closed down spaces intelligently and limited clear chances in the final third.

The goal forced the hosts to alter their approach, pushing more players forward in search of an equaliser. Waves of pressure followed during an intense second half, but each attacking move was met by an organised Power Dynamos defence and a composed goalkeeping performance that kept the slender advantage intact.

Despite late pressure from Rivers United, clear-cut opportunities proved elusive, and the Zambian champions expertly managed the closing stages to secure a vital away victory.

The result lifts Power Dynamos to four points in Group A, keeping them firmly in the qualification conversation as they begin to gather momentum.

For Rivers United, the flow continues to ebb: rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point from four matches, their hopes of progression are now hanging by a thread as the group heads into its decisive phase.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Algerian champions Mouloudia Club of Algiers reignited their CAF Champions League campaign after recording their first victory of the group stage with a controlled 2–0 win over DR Congo side St Éloi Lupopo on Sunday evening.

Second-half goals from Khelif Merwan and Zakaria Naidji secured all three points for MC Alger in a Matchday 4 Group C encounter, lifting the Algerians back into contention in what remains a tightly contested group.

The opening half was a cautious affair, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances as midfield battles dictated the tempo. MC Alger, however, emerged with renewed purpose after the break and were rewarded in the 53rd minute when Merwan broke the deadlock, finishing calmly after sustained pressure to give the hosts a deserved lead.

Lupopo attempted to mount a response, but opportunities were few and far between against a disciplined Algerian defence that kept the Congolese side largely at arm’s length as the contest wore on.

The home side made the result safe eight minutes from time. Naidji struck in the 82nd minute, exploiting space in the final third to double the advantage and effectively extinguish any hopes of a late comeback from the visitors.

The victory moves MC Alger up to four points in Group C, placing them third in the standings on goal difference, just ahead of Lupopo, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table after another difficult outing on the road.

At the summit of the group, the Sudanese side Al Hilal Omdurman continues to set the pace with eight points, holding a three-point cushion over South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as the race for the quarter-finals intensifies.

With two group matches remaining, MC Alger’s maiden win of the campaign breathes new life into their qualification hopes. At the same time, Lupopo now face an uphill battle to revive their continental challenge.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis strengthened their push for a place in the knockout stages of the CAF Champions League after fighting back from two goals down to earn a dramatic 2–2 draw with Tanzania’s Simba SC in a pulsating Group D encounter in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

The visitors looked destined for defeat at the KMC Stadium following a dominant first-half performance from the hosts. Still, a transformed display after the interval enabled Esperance to claw their way back and depart with a valuable point.

Simba, roared on by their home support, imposed themselves early and were rewarded in the 39th minute when Shomari Kapombe headed home after sustained pressure had pinned Esperance deep inside their own half.

The Tanzanian side doubled their advantage just before the break. Yusuph Kagoma completed a swift attacking move in the 45th minute, exploiting space behind the Esperance defence to give Simba a commanding 2–0 lead at half-time and apparent control of the contest.

Esperance returned from the interval with renewed urgency, increasing the tempo and asserting greater control of possession. Their persistence paid off in the 64th minute when Aboubacar Diakité reduced the deficit, converting from close range to inject belief into the Tunisian camp.

Simba struggled to rediscover their earlier rhythm as the pressure mounted, and Esperance’s dominance was rewarded again in the 79th minute when Kouceila Boualia struck the equaliser, capping an impressive second-half revival and silencing the home crowd.

The visitors nearly completed a remarkable turnaround in stoppage time when they were awarded a penalty. However, Hamza Jlassi failed to convert, his miss denying Esperance a dramatic late victory.

The draw leaves Esperance second in Group D on six points, two behind leaders Stade Malien, as the race for qualification intensifies at the halfway stage of the group phase. For Simba, the result delivered their first point of the campaign but did little to lift them from the bottom of the standings, leaving their hopes of progression hanging by a thread with two matches remaining.

As the margins for qualification continue to narrow, Esperance’s resilience in Dar es Salaam may yet prove decisive as Group D heads toward its final rounds.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H