CAF Champions League
CAF Champions League record holders, Al Ahly overwhelm hosts, Stade d’Abidjan
Egypt’s Al Ahly who played without their foreign players were simply sensational as they beat their hosts, Stade d’Abidjan 3-1 in a CAF Champions League match on Saturday.
Their foreign players missed the encounter for various reasons. According to reports from Egyptian media before the match, the Moroccan trio of defender Achraf Dari, fullback Yahya Attiat Allah, and winger Reda Slim as well as South Africa’s Percy Tau were all excluded from the trip to Abidjan.
Dari reportedly was suffering from a hamstring injury, while the other two Moroccans were to undergo surgeries on their face and knee, respectively.
Percy Tau was also excluded from the list, as he prepared to complete his move to the Qatari league.
Also, the Tunisian fullback, Ali Maaloul was excluded, as was yet to re-register for Ahly’s local and continental competitions.
But the absence of those players did not matter on Saturday as a super-charged Ahly got a massive away win.
Imam Ashour’s sensational hat-trick inspired Al Ahly to a 3-1 comeback win, moving the reigning champions closer to the quarter-finals.
The hosts took the lead in the 26th minute through Saint-Jean Corre, but Ashour equalized early in the second half with a clinical finish.
The Egyptian midfielder doubled his tally in the 73rd minute with a towering header off a Khaled Abdel Fattah cross.
Ashour sealed his hat-trick deep into injury time, firing a powerful shot after a swift counterattack. The win propels Al Ahly to 10 points, temporarily topping Group C, while Stade d’Abidjan remains at the bottom with just one point.
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Pyramids FC of Egypt have clinched their first-ever CAF Champions League quarter-final berth with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Sagrada Esperança in Angola on Saturday.
Substitute Marawan Hamdi proved to be the hero, netting the winner in the 94th minute to send the Egyptian side to the top of Group D with 10 points.
The match, played briskly, saw Pyramids dominate possession but struggle to convert their chances. Sagrada had their own opportunities, with their forward missing a golden chance in the 75th minute.
But as the game seemed destined for a draw, Hamdi capitalized on a defensive lapse to score the decisive goal. The defeat leaves Sagrada on five points, in third place, while Pyramids cement their position at the summit of the group.
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Mamelodi Sundowns secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Maniema Union in the fifth round of matches of the CAF Champions League group stage on Saturday.
The match, played at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, kept the South African side firmly in contention for a quarter-final spot.
Maniema Union took the lead in the 38th minute when Congolese forward Jafty Kitambala finished a precise counter-attack to give the home team a deserved advantage.
The second half saw Sundowns dominate possession, with relentless attacking pressure.
Their persistence paid off in the 83rd minute when Namibian striker Peter Shalulile latched onto a cross and struck a composed equaliser to restore parity.
As the match appeared destined for a draw, a heart-breaking moment for Maniema Union occurred in the dying minutes of stoppage time.
Defender Exosya Mwanda inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net while attempting to clear a dangerous Sundowns cross, handing the visitors a decisive victory.
The result sees Sundowns climb to 8 points, holding second place in Group B, while Maniema Union remain on 3 points and are eliminated from quarter-final contention.
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MC Alger of Algeria kept their quarter-final aspirations alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Congo’s TP Mazembe in their CAF Champions League Group A clash on Friday.
Akram Bouras scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot in the 36th minute at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962, ensuring Mouloudia moved to eight points, consolidating second place in the group.
Mazembe, meanwhile, remain winless with just two points, sealing their elimination from the competition.
The opening exchanges saw both teams struggle to impose themselves. Mazembe created the first real chance in the 22nd minute, but Bongeli Beenga’s cross went unmet.
Mouloudia found their breakthrough in the 36th minute when Tayeb Meziani was brought down in the box, prompting referee Abongile Tom to award a penalty.
Bouras stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot-kick to the top centre of the net, igniting celebrations among the home crowd.
The Congolese side showed greater urgency in the second half but lacked precision in front of goal.
Jean Diouf came close in the 73rd minute, but Mouloudia goalkeeper Abdelkader Menezla produced a stunning save to preserve his side’s lead.
Mouloudia could have doubled their advantage late on, with Zakaria Naidji and Andy Delort both hitting the woodwork in the final moments of the game.
With Al Hilal of Sudan already qualified, MC Alger’s victory sets up a tense final group stage matchday. The Algerian side will travel to Dar es Salaam to face Young Africans, who sit in third place with four points.
Mazembe’s disappointing campaign ends with a home fixture against Al Hilal, with pride being their only incentive.
-CAF
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