CAF Champions League
Sudan’s Al Hilal shock Al Ahly, Simba suffer defeat in Dar es Salaam
Sudan Premier League reigning champions Al Hilal picked their first three points in the Group B of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Al Hilal shocked giants Al Ahly 1-0 in a match played at the Al Hilal Stadium in Khartoum. DR Congo International Makabi Lilepo netted the lone goal after 53 minutes, but had his penalty saved later.
Al Ahly fresh from finishing fourth at the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup held in Morocco had some chances by Hussein Al Shahat and Percy Tau, but the Sudan team stood firm and defended well.
“It was a difficult match, but the players worked hard to make sure we collect maximum points,” said Al Hilal’s head coach Florent Ibenge after the match.
After losing the opening match 1-0 away to Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Hilal are now second on the log with three points, while the South Africans champions lead with six points. Al Alhi are third on the log, and Coton Sport from Cameroon who fell 1-3 to Mamelodi Sundowns are bottom.
In Dar es Salaam, Simba SC suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Raja Casablanca (Morocco) in a Group C match played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. Hamza Khaba gave the visitors a 30th minute lead before Simba returned strongly after the interval, but failed to find the target.
Soufiane Benidida made it 2-0 after 82 minutes, and Ismael Mokadem netted a late penalty after 86 minutes. The win keeps Raja Casablanca top of the Group after they kicked off their campaign with a 5-0 win against Uganda’s Vipers SC last week.
Vipers SC also managed to pick their first point after a goalless draw against Horoya AC of Guinea at their St. Marys Stadium, Kitende. Horoya AC are now second in the group with four points, while Vipers SC are third with a point, and Simba Sc bottom with no point.
Another team from the CECAFA region Al Merriekh from Sudan settled for a goalless draw against Zamalek of Egypt in a match played in Benghazi, Libya. The Sudan team that lost their opening match 1-0 away to Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia) opted to host their matches in Libya since they do not have a Stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Sudan Premier League side Al Hilal are out of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Coach Florent Ibenge’s team lost 1-0 in their quarter final return leg against Al Ahly played at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
The Egyptian giants qualified on a 2-0 goal aggregate having won the first leg 1-0.
After a goalless first half, Al Hilal piled lots of pressure, but failed to find the goals. Ali Abdalla came close after 63 minutes, but Al Ahly goalkeeper Taher Muhamed was quick to block the ball.
It was Emam Ashour who netted the lone goal for Al Ahly against the run of play after 80 minutes. against the run of play
Al Hilal’s defeat marked the end of a team from the CECAFA Zone in the competition. Another Egyptian side Pyramids also sailed through to the semi-final stage on a 4-3 goal aggregate.
Former champions Mamelodi Sundowns also made it through, while Orlando Pirates who carry a 1-0 advantage against MC Alger are yet to play the second leg.
The head coach of Al Hilal, Florent Ibenge has said his team must be at it’s best when they host Al Ahly in the return leg in the quarter final stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Ibenge’s team lost the first leg 1-0 in a match played at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday.
But Ibenge has made it clear they must be at their best and also use home advantage when they host Al Ahly on Tuesday at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium, Nouakchott in Mauritania.
“We know Al Ahly is a good team and we now know what to do in the return leg. It will not be an easy match, but we need to be sharper at the front and also defend with a lot of caution,” added the experienced coach.
The Sudan Premier League giants who have had to play in the Mauritanian Premier League in the 2024/2025 season because of the political instability back home will count on the support in Nouakchott.
Al Hilal also boost of a fairly good record playing in Nouakchott winning against San Pedro (Ivory Coast) in the second round, against TP Mazembe and drawing against MC Alger in the Group stage, and suffering a 1-0 defeat to Tanzania’s Young Africans SC.
Al Hilal are the only team from the CECAFA Zone playing at the quarter final stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Sudan giants Al Hilal are set to face Egypt’s Al Ahly in the first leg of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday night.
Florent Ibenge, the Al Hilal coach has made it clear that the first leg will be very important because it sets the ground for the return leg.
“We know that Al Ahly are a big team that has won several trophies on the continent, but we have tactically prepared and know how we must handle the match. This round is won over two legs and that is what we have prepared for,” says Ibenge.
Although Al Hilal have been disadvantaged to play all their home matches away from Khartoum because of the political instability back in Sudan, they have showed stability and only lost two matches in all 10 matches they have played in the initial stages going into the quarter final.
Al Hilal, the only team in the CECAFA Zone playing in the quarter final stage will look to skipper Muhamed Abdelrahman to lead the team in hunt for goals together with Adam Coulibaly and Burundian International Jean Claude Girumugisha.
To reach the quarter final stage Al Hilal ejected Al Ahly Benghazi (Libya) and San Pedro (Ivory Coast) in the first and second rounds respectively. They went on to top Group A that MC Alger (Algeria), Young Africans SC (Tanzania) and DR Congo’s TP Mazembe.
The other quarter final matches to be played on Tuesday include Pyramids facing AS FAR, Mamelodi Sundowns battling against Esperance de Tunis, and MC Alger taking on Orlando Pirates.
Sudan’s Al Hilal have been drawn to face reigning champions Al Ahly at the quarter final stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The draw of Africa’s most prestigious club tournament was conducted on Thursday at the beIN studio in Doha, Qatar.
Al Hilal are the only team from the CECAFA Zone to make it to the quarter final stage after Young Africans SC from Tanzania dropped out in the group stage.
Despite the political conflict in Sudan which forced Al Hilal handled by Florent Ibenge to play outside the country, they managed to top the group.
Incase Al Hilal eliminate the 12-time champions Al Ahly, they will face the winner between Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance Sportive de Tunis at the semi-final stage.
The other two quarter final ties will see Pyramids FC (Egypt) take on AS FAR (Morocco), while Algeria’s MC Alger of Algeria face another South African side Orlando Pirates.
Matches at the quarter-final stage will be played over two legs, with the first leg scheduled for April 1st, 2025 and the return leg on April 8th.
Quarter finals
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) vs Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)
Al Ahly SC (Egypt) vs Al Hilal SC (Sudan)
MC Alger (Algeria) vs Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
Pyramids FC (Egypt) vs AS FAR (Morocco)
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