MC Alger breathed new life into the qualification battle in Group C of the CAF Champions League after inflicting a first group-stage defeat on Al-Hilal Omdurman with a hard-fought 2–1 victory in Algiers on Friday night.

The Matchday 5 encounter, played at the Stade Ali Ammar (Ali La Pointe), saw the Algerian champions deliver a composed and clinical first-half performance before holding firm under late pressure to secure three vital points.

MC Alger made a flying start, taking the lead in the 15th minute after capitalising on a costly error by Al-Hilal goalkeeper Sofiane Farid. Zinedine Ferhat seized on a loose touch, rounded the keeper and selflessly squared the ball for Muslim Anatouf, who tapped into an empty net to put the hosts ahead.

Al-Hilal tried to regain composure through controlled spells of possession but found it difficult to break down a well-drilled MC Alger defence. The home side doubled their advantage just before the break when Ferhat capped an impressive display with a moment of individual brilliance, firing a powerful long-range strike past Farid in the 44th minute.

The Sudanese champions returned from the interval with greater urgency and were rewarded in the 77th minute when Ahmed Salem broke through the defence and finished calmly to reduce the deficit, setting up a tense finale.

Al-Hilal threw men forward in search of an equaliser, but MC Alger showed maturity and discipline, slowing the tempo and defending resolutely to protect their slender lead until the final whistle.

The win lifts MC Alger to seven points and into second place in Group C, while Al-Hilal remain top on eight points despite their first setback of the campaign. With one round of matches remaining, qualification from the group remains finely balanced.

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Defending champions Pyramids FC tightened their grip on Group A of the CAF Champions League after a commanding 3–0 victory over Morocco’s RS Berkane in Cairo on Sunday, a result that leaves them on the brink of qualification for the quarter-finals.

The Egyptian side produced a composed and clinical display at the Air Defence Stadium, asserting their authority from the outset to move clear at the summit of the group and underline their growing stature in Africa’s premier club competition.

Pyramids set the tone early and were rewarded in the 10th minute when Mahmoud Abdel Hafeez, popularly known as Zalaka, powered home a close-range header following a precise delivery from Nasser Maher. It was a goal that reflected the champions’ sharpness and intent, with Maher’s influence evident throughout the contest.

After the interval, Berkane attempted to mount a response, but their efforts failed to seriously test goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy. Pyramids, well organised and tactically disciplined, continued to dictate the tempo while exploiting spaces on the counter-attack.

The decisive moment arrived in the 74th minute when Nasser Maher crowned an impressive performance by scoring his first goal in a Pyramids shirt. Picking up a quick transition initiated by Zalaka, Maher finished confidently from inside the penalty area to double the lead and effectively extinguish Berkane’s hopes of a comeback.

Further gloss was added to the scoreline six minutes later as Ahmed Atef, nicknamed Qatta, struck the third goal in the 80th minute to cap a dominant evening for the home side.

The victory lifts Pyramids to 10 points from four matches, three clear of second-placed Berkane, leaving the Egyptian champions firmly in control of Group A and on the verge of sealing a place in the last eight. Berkane remain on seven points, but their qualification hopes are now under pressure, with Zambia’s Power Dynamos closing in as the battle for the group’s second qualifying spot intensifies.

For Pyramids, the result represents another emphatic statement of intent as they continue their title defence, blending attacking flair with growing tactical maturity at a crucial stage of the competition.

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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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