CAF Champions League
FIVE-TIME WINNERS MAZEMBE CRASH OUT OF CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Five-time title-holders TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo were eliminated from the CAF Champions League Friday after losing 2-0 at Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria.
The visitors were undone by goals from substitutes Amir Sayoud and Youcef Bechou in the dying minutes with Ahmed Gasmi, who also came off the bench in the second half, creating both.
Gasmi crossed for Sayoud to sneak between two defenders and nod past Malian goalkeeper Ibrahim Mounkoro on 84 minutes at an empty July 5 Stadium in Algiers because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Belouizdad struck again two minutes later as the strength of Gasmi took him past two defenders and his cutback was tapped in by unmarked Bechou.
Defeat left Mazembe, who have won 11 CAF competitions altogether, bottom of Group B with just two points with one round remaining and they cannot finish among the top two and qualify for the quarterfinals.
Mazembe were quarter-finalists twice and semi-finalists once in the past three seasons and most pundits expected the Ravens to at least make the last eight again in this campaign.
They faced Belouizdad with a weakened side as Ivorians Sylvain Gbohouo and Christian Koffi, Guinean Moustapha Kouyate, Ugandan Joseph Ochaya and Tanzanian Thomas Ulimwengu did not return in time from Africa Cup of Nations duties.
Victory for Belouizdad came after a run of only one win in 11 matches, leading to the resignation of French coach Franck Dumas this week.
Algerians Slimane Raho and Karim Bakhti were put in temporary charge of a club playing in the Champions League for only the fourth time and never progressed beyond the group stage.
In the same section, already-qualified Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa surrendered the last perfect record among the 16 group participants when held 0-0 by Al Hilal of Sudan in Omdurman.
Hilal struck the woodwork twice at the same stadium where Sudan defeated South Africa last Sunday and deprived them of a place at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Sundowns have 13 points, Belouizdad six, Hilal four and Mazembe two ahead of the final group matches next Friday.
Belouizdad have a tough final fixture, away to Sundowns in Pretoria, but even a loss will not prevent them taking the second qualifying place unless Hilal defeat Mazembe in Lubumbashi.
Sundowns, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco and Esperance of Tunisia have reached the quarterfinals and Simba of Tanzania, defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt and Mouloudia Alger of Algeria could join them Saturday.
AFP
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.
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.
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