CAF Champions League
CAF Champions League: Simba SC, Young Africans face tricky away battles
Three teams from the CECAFA Zone Simba SC, Young Africans and Al Merriekh will all be in action in the first leg second preliminary round of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League on Saturday.
Tanzanian sides Simba SC and Young Africans will face tricky tests when they play away in the first leg ties. Simba SC who get into the mix for the first time this season will play away to Zambia’s Power Dynamos FC, while Young Africans SC take on Al Merriekh (Sudan) at the Kigali Pele Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Having reached the quarter final stage last season, Simba SC will be more than hungry to see that they aim higher this time starting with a good result away from home.
Roberto Oliveira, Simba’s Brazillian coach has made it clear that every match in the CAF Champions League is not easy. ” I know matches at this level are very tough, but we have prepared well enough and will be out to try and get a good first leg result, ” added Oliveira.
Moses Phiri, one of Simba SC’s forwards also made it clear that the match against Power Dynamos will be a tough one. Besides trying to defend well, Simba SC will also hope that some of their forwards Phiri, Jean Baleke, Shaban Chilunga and veteran John Bocco find their scoring touch.
Young Africans SC, finalists in the 2022/2023 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will be eager to send a strong message when they face Al Merriekh in the first leg.
New Young Africans SC coach Miguel Angel Gamondi who took over in June 2023 has aid they will treat the match very seriously because the away match is very important before they host the Sudan team. ” The players know it will be a tough match and we must give our best, ” added Miguel Ángel Gamondi whose team ejected Djibouti Telecom 7-1 on aggregate in the first round and have made a good start scoring 10 goals in two League matches played at home.
On Sunday Rwanda’s APR FC will face Egyptian side Pyramids FC in Kigali, Al Hilal (Sudan) take on Primero de Agosto away in Angola.
Meanwhile, Burundi’s Bumamuru FC suffered a 4-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns FC in the first leg second preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League match played at the Azam Complex in Tanzania on Friday.
The hosts Bumamuru tried to push forward early, but the Mamelodi Sundowns’ defenders closed out Theodore Ngabirano and Ali Shabani Valentin.
After 11 minutes the South African giants earned penalty after a handball in the box, and Lucas Ribeiro made no mistake from the spot. Ribeiro made it 2-0 after 37 minutes and Lesiba Nku made sure they went 3-0 up at the interval. Peter Shalulile back from injury also got his name on the score sheet 10 minutes to the final whistle.
Sudan giants Al Hilal SC have collected a point in their away Group C match against Saint Eloi Lupopo in a TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage.
Al Hilal SC settled for a 1-1 draw against the DR Congo side in a match played on Sunday at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi.
Abdel Rayomer silenced the local fans with a 12 minute strike to give Al Hilal the lead.
But the home side grew in confidence, and started creating good scoring opportunities. Petrus Aprocious leveled matters for Saint Eloi Lupopo after 79 minutes to send the fans wild.
The two sides continued to attack hoping to pick maximum points, but to no avail.
Al Hilal are second of Group C with 4 points, with Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) with the same number of points, but a better goal difference. MC Alger and Saint Eloi Lupopo each have one point.
In another game involving a team from the CECAFA Zone, Simba SC (Tanzania) suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Stade Malien in a Group D match played in Bamako.
Taddeus Nikeng Fomakwang and Ismaila Simpara scord for the hosts in the first half, while Neo Maema scored for Simba SC.
The Tanzanian side are now bottom of Group D after two straight defeats, while Petro de Luanda (Angola) and Stade Malien are tied on 4 points each, while ES Tunis have collected two points.
Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC have picked their fourth point in the group stage of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Young Africans SC collected a vital point in a goalless draw away to JS Kabylie on Friday at the Hocine Ait Ahmed Stadium in Algeria.
The draw sent Young SC Africans briefly top of Group B, before the second group match.
In the second match record winners Al Ahly (Egypt) picked a 1-1 draw away to AS FAR in Morocco.
Although Young Africans and Al Ahly have four points each, the Egyptians are top because of a better goal difference.
On Sunday two other teams from the CECAFA Zone will be in action. Sudan’s Al Hilal SC will play away to Saint-Eloi Lupopo in a Group C match in Lubumbashi, while Simba SC (Tanzania) also face Stade Malien (Mali) in a Group D match in Bamako.
Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC have made a winning start in the group stage of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Young Africans SC defeated AS FAR (Morocco) 1-0 in their opening Group B match played at the New Amaan Complex on Saturday.
Prince Dube Mpumelelo netted the lone goal after 58 minutes in a hotly contested match. The Moroccan side tried to fight back, but failed to bet the well organized Young Africans Sc defending line.
Young Africans SC’s head coach Pedro Gonçalves who was only appointed in October this year said it was good to start the group stage with a win. “We still have a lot of work to do ahead of the many matches to be played,” added Goncalves.
The Tanzanian side are now second in the group after record winners Al Ahly (Egypt) later defeated JS Kabylie (Algeria) 4-1 in Cairo last night.
On Sunday another Tanzanian side Simba SC suffered a 1-0 home defeat to visiting Petro de Luanda (Angola) in a Group D match at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Bernardo Dias netted the lone goal after 78 minutes.
Sudan giants Al Hilal SC have made a winning start in the group stage of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The 10-man Al Hilal side stopped MC Alger (Algeria) 2-1 in the first Group C match played on Friday at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Skipper Abdelrazig Omer gave Al Hilal the lead at the stroke of half time after a good assist by Burundian International Jean-Claude Girumugisha.
After recess the visiting team piled pressure and attacked in numbers. The pressure paid off when Mustafa Karshom deflected the ball into his own net to make it 1-1 after 53 minutes. The defender deflected MC Alger’s Oussama Benhaoua’s hard shot.
Mohamed Abdelrahman was on target after 75 minutes to put Al Hilal ahead again. The Sudan team was reduced to 10-players after Salaheldin Alhassan was sent off with four minutes to full time.
Al Hilal opted to play their matches in Rwanda because of the unrest in Sudan. Al Hilal and El Merriekh have also been cleared to play in the 2025/2026 Rwanda Premier League.
Action returns on Saturday when Tanzanian giants Young Africans SC host AS FAR (Morocco) in a Group B match at the New Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar. On Sunday Simba Sc (Tanzania) will also be in action in a Group D match against Angola’s Petro de Luanda at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
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