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.

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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.

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The CAF Champions League enters a decisive phase this weekend as Matchday 4 of the group stage takes centre stage, with clubs across the continent battling to strengthen their push for places in the quarter-finals.

With the competition now at its halfway point after three rounds of matches, the frontrunners will be keen to consolidate their positions, while teams still on the fringes of qualification look to revive their campaigns.

In Group A, attention will be split between two crucial fixtures on Sunday, February 1. The headline clash will take place in Cairo, where defending champions Pyramids FC host Morocco’s RS Berkane in a top-of-the-table showdown. Both sides are level on seven points, with Berkane holding a slim advantage on goal difference, making the encounter pivotal in the race for supremacy in the group.

Also in Group A, Nigeria’s Rivers United will be in action against Zambia’s Power Dynamos in a match that could prove decisive for the Port Harcourt-based side’s qualification hopes. Rivers United will be targeting maximum points to stay firmly in contention and keep pace with the group leaders as the battle for the quarter-final places intensifies.

Group B fixtures get underway on Saturday, January 31, when Young Africans of Tanzania welcome record champions Al Ahly of Egypt. The Cairo giants are chasing another victory that would move them closer to sealing qualification, while Young Africans, currently second in the group, will be eager to close the gap at the top. Later the same day, Morocco’s AS FAR Rabat face Algeria’s JS Kabylie in another key encounter.

In Group C, action begins on Friday, January 30, with a top-of-the-table clash between Sudan’s Al Hilal and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. The two sides are separated only by goal difference, with Sundowns narrowly leading the standings. On Sunday, MC Alger host DR Congo’s St Éloi Lupopo, a fixture that offers the Algerian side a final opportunity to re-enter the qualification race.

Group D matches start on Saturday as Angola’s Petro Atlético welcome Stade Malien of Mali. Stade Malien currently sit top of the group and will be aiming to strengthen their grip on a quarter-final spot further. On Sunday, Tanzania’s Simba SC take on Tunisia’s Espérance de Tunis in a potentially decisive encounter as the fight for qualification reaches a critical stage.

CAF Champions League Matchday 4 Fixtures (All times GMT)

Group A – Sunday, February 1
16:00 — Pyramids FC (EGY) vs RS Berkane (MAR)
16:00 — Rivers United (NGA) vs Power Dynamos (ZAM)

Group B – Saturday, January 31
13:00 — Young Africans SC (TAN) vs Al Ahly SC (EGY)
19:00 — AS FAR Rabat (MAR) vs JS Kabylie (ALG)

Group C
Friday, January 30
19:00 — Al Hilal (SUD) vs Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA)

Sunday, February 1
19:00 — MC Alger (ALG) vs St Éloi Lupopo (DRC)

Group D
Saturday, January 31
16:00 — Petro Atlético (ANG) vs Stade Malien (MLI)

Sunday, February 1
13:00 — Simba SC (TAN) vs Espérance de Tunis (TUN)

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