Star player Mohamed Abdelrahman netted the lone goal that sent Al Hilal to the group stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

After drawing 2-2 in the first leg of the second preliminary round against San Pedro, the Sudan Premier League side picked a hard earned 1-0 win in the return leg match played at the Cheikha Ould Boidiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania on Sunday.

Abdelrahman who netted the two goals in the first leg scored the only goal after 45 minutes. Al Hilal held their nerves to qualify on a 3-2 goal aggregate and join Tanzania’s Young Africans SC as the only teams from the CECAFA Zone that will play in the group stage.

“We are happy that after hard work we have managed to qualify for the group stage,” said a happy Al Hilal coach Florent Ibenge after the match.

The 16 teams that have now qualified the group stage include; Al Hilal (Sudan), Young Africans SC (Tanzania), CR Belouizdada, MC Alger (Algeria), Al Ahly, Pyramids FC (Egypt), AS Maniema Union, TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Mamelodi Sundowns FC, Orlando Pirates FC (South Africa), Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia), Raja Club Athletic, AS FAR Rabat (Morocco), Sagrada Esperanca (Angola), Stade d’Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Djoliba AC (Mali).

Simba SC have booked a place in the group stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.

The Tanzania Premier League side battled from a goal down at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dra es Salaam on Sunday to defeat Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli 3-1 on Sunday to qualify for the group stage.

After only 17 minutes Angolan striker Paciencia Mabululu intercepted a back-pass and slotted the ball in the net to give the visitors the lead. But Simba SC fought back strongly to score through Dennis Kibu and Leonel Ateba to give them a 2-1 lead at the interval.

Later in the second half Simba continued to dominate play and added a third goal through Edwin Balua to ensure the Tanzanian team qualified on a 3-1 goal aggregate.

Simba Sc becomes the only team from the CECAFA Zone that has qualified for the group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup after Burundi’s Rukinzo FC and Kenya Police all exited at the second preliminary stage.

Simba SC has now qualified for the group stage together with CS Constantine, USM Alger (Algeria), Orapa United (Botswana), Black Bulls FC (Mozambique), Bravos do Maquis, Lunda Sul FC (Angola), Stellenbosch FC (South Africa), CS Sfaxien (Tunisia), Al Masry, Zamalek FC (Egypt), Enyimba FC (Nigeria), Stade Malien (Mali), ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast), RS Berkane (Morocco) and ASC Jaraaf (Senegal).

Tanzania Premier League reigning champions Young Africans SC have qualified for the group stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Young Africans humbled Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC 6-0 in the return leg of the second preliminary round to qualify on a 7-0 goal aggregate.

Zambian International Clatous Chota Chama gave Young Africans SC the lead after 38 minutes in a match played at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.

After recess the Tanzanian giants returned determined to bang in more goals and Clement Mzize made it 2-0 after 46 minutes when he rounded off the CBE goalkeeper and finished in an empty net.

Stephane Aziz Ki also got two goals to his account, while Mudathir Yahya and substitute Duke Ooga Abuya also netted a goal apiece. It was all celebration after the final whistle as Young Africans booked yet another place in the group stage like they did last season.

“I am happy that I have managed to score two goals today which have helped the team qualify for the group stage,” said a happy Aziz Ki after the match.

In the other matches played, the other teams from the CECAFA Zone Gor Mahia FC (Kenya), APR FC (Rwanda) and Somalia’s Dekedeka FC all got eliminated.

Gor Mahia who lost the first leg 3-0 suffered a similar scoreline in Cairo as Rami Rabia, Wessam Abou Ali and TaherMohamed Taher scored for Egyptian side Al Ahly.

In Cairo, APR FC took an early lead through Dauda Yussif Deidu against Pyramids FC, but Mohamed Chibi leveled matters before the break. DR Congo International Fiston Mayele Kalala and Karim Hafez added two second half goals to ensure the Egyptian side qualified for the group stage on a 4-2 goal aggregate.

Esperance de Tunis walloped Dekedeka FC 8-0 to qualify on a 12-1 goal aggregate.

Action returns on Sunday with two Sudan Premier League sides Al Hilal and El Merriekh in action.Coach Florent Ibenge’s  Al Hilal who picked a 2-2 draw in the first leg will host Ivory Coast’s San Pedro FC in Mauritania, while El Merriekh who also drew 2-2 in their home match played in Juba will take on Morocco’s AS FAR at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

Kenya Police FC have exited the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup after losing 3-1 to on a goal aggregate to Egypt’s Zamalek FC.

After losing the first leg 1-0 a week ago in Nairobi, the Kenyan representatives put-up a spirited first in the return leg played at the Cairo International Stadium, but lost 2-1 in a match played on Friday evening.

The Kenya Police side managed to hold the Egyptian side to a goalless first half, before they returned and changed their game strategy.

Ahmed ‘Zizo’ gave Zamalek the lead after 55 minutes with a good volley past the Kenya Police goalkeeper Patrick Matasi after good spade work by Omar Jaber. Six minutes later a defensive blunder by the Kenya Police defenders and goalkeeper Matasi gave the hosts chance to extend their lead through Nasser Maher.

Kenya Police pulled a goal back through Jesse Were after 66 minutes as they kept pushing forward. The Kenyan side that ejected Ethiopia Coffee FC 1-0 on aggregate in the first preliminary round tried to search for more goals, but to no avail.

On Saturday Burundi’s Rukinzo FC who lost the first leg 1-0 will be in action against CS Sfaxien in Tunisia, while Simba SC (Tanzania) will host Al Ahili Tripoli (Libya) at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.