CAF Champions League
Coach Oliveira happy to guide Simba SC to CAF Champions League quarter final stage
The head coach of Simba SC, Roberto Oliviera ‘Robertinho’ has said he is delighted his team has qualified for the quarter final stage of the 2022/2023 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Tanzania’s Simba SC made it to the quarters after humbling AC Horoya (Guinea) 7-0 in a Group C match played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday night.
It was a day Zambian international Clatous Chama netted a hattrick, while Jean Othos Belete and Sadio Kanoute netted a brace each to ensure Simba SC picked maximum points to make it three straight wins and move to nine points.
“I am glad we have worked hard to qualify for the quarter final stage with one more group match to play against Raja Casablanca,” said the Brazilian.
He praised his players for the hard work and being able to score many goals. “We need to keep working hard because there are many more matches to come,” said Oliviera who joined from Uganda’s Vipers SC in January this year.
In the other Group C match played on Saturday, Uganda’s Vipers SC picked their second point after coming from a goal down to settle for a 1-1 draw against Raja Casablanca from Morocco. Soufiane Benjdida gave the group leaders Raja Casablanca the lead after 18 minutes, but Abubakar Lawal leveled matters at the strong of half time.
It was a good start for Vipers SC’s new coach Alex Isabirye who joined the team few days ago. “I am happy that the players showed good character against an experienced side,” said Isabirye.
In the other matches played by teams from the CECAFA Zone Al Hilal of Sudan settled for a 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns in a Group B match played in Khartoum. After a goalless first half Khuliso Mudau gave the South African giants the lead in the 67th minutes, but Mohmod Abdelrahman Yousif Yagoub leveled matters after 5 minutes.
Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams later saved Atthar El-Tahir’s penalty kick to ensure the match ended 1-1. While Mamelodi Sundowns who lead the group with 11 points have already qualified for the quarter final stage, second placed Al Hilal with 10 points with need to beat Al Ahly or pick a draw in their last match in Cairo to book a place in the quarter final stage.
Another team from Sudan Al Merriekh are out of contention after they were held to a 1-1 draw by ES Tunis in a Group D match played in Benghazi, Libya on Friday night. The draw means ES Tunis and CR Belouizdad who beat Zamalek are through to the quarter finals.
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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)
Tanzania Premier League side Young Africans SC have failed to book a place in the quarter-final stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Young Africans SC needed nothing less than victory against MC Alger in the last group match played in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, but settled for a goalless draw.
Coach Sead Ramovic’s team revived their hopes last weekend after defeating table leaders Al Hilal (Sudan) 1-0 in an away match played in Mauritania. The draw against the Algerian side meant that they finished third in the group with 8 points.
In the second Group A match played in DR Congo, bottom placed TP Mazembe shocked Al Hilal 4-0. Jean Diouf and Ibrahim Keita gave TP Mazembe a 2-0 half time lead.
After the interval Merceil Ngimbi Vumbi increased the lead, and Suleman Shaibu converted a late penalty to make it 4-0.
Al Hilal finished top with 10 points, while MC Alger came second with 9 points and TP Mazembe bottom with 5 points.
Young Africans SC have picked a 1-0 win away to Al Hilal to improve their chances of qualifying for the knock-out stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Stephane Aziz Ki netted the only goal after 7 minutes in the Group A match played on Sunday at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
The Tanzanian side who lost their opening Group match 2-0 to the same Sudan team last year made sure they picked the revenge as they dominated most of the match.
Although Al Hilal have already qualified for the quarter final stage with 10 points, Young Africans SC closed the gap as they moved to 7 points, one behind second placed MC Alger from Algeria.
Young Africans SC will now need to register a win in their last Group A match against MC Alger on January 18th, 2025 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Last year Tanzanian sides Young Africans SC and Simba SC reached the quarter-final stage.
Sudan Premier League reigning champions Al Hilal are the first team to book a quarter final slot in the on-going 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Coach Folrent Ibenge’s team battled to to a 1-1 draw against MC Alger in a Group A match played on Sunday at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Sofiane Bayazid gave the Algerian side an early 5th minute lead, but the Al Hilal fought back strongly to level matters through Jean Claued Girumugisha. The Burundian International dribbled past two defenders and unleashed a hard shot that the MC Alger goalkeeper failed to stop.
The draw saw Al Hilal kept top of the table with 10 points and qualify for the knock out stage with two more matches to spare.
“We are very happy that we managed to keep pushing despite conceding an early goal. The players have worked hard to get the draw and qualify for the next stage,” said Ibenge.
Al Hilal who are playing all their matches away from home because of the political unrest in Sudan have won three group matches and drawn once.
The Sudan side will next host Tanzania’s Young Africans SC on January 12th, 2025, before they play the last match against TP Mazembe six days later in Lubumbashi.
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