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 SC have been drawn against Burundi Premier League champions Aigle Noir CS in the first preliminary round of the 2026/2027 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The draw was conducted on Friday in Cairo, Egypt.
The 2025/2026 quarter finalists Al Hilal SC will play the first leg in Burundi between September 4-6th, and later hosts their return leg in Kigali between September 11-13th.
Incase they go past the first hurdle, Sudan’s Al Hilal SC will then face the winner between Aigloms FC N’Djamena (Chad) and Sidaama Buna FC (Ethiopia).
“The CECAFA Kagame Cup has given us good preparations ahead of the CAF Champions League,” says Al Hilal SC head coach Guy Bukasa Misakabu.
South Sudan Premier League champions El Merriekh SC Bentiu will also make a return to the competition when they face Heegan SC (Somalia), while Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) take on Pyramids FC (Egypt) in the first preliminary round.
Uganda’s Vipers SC will take on Mauritania’s giants FC Nouadhibou, APR FC (Rwanda) face Les Aigles Du Congo, while Young Africans SC (tanzania) play Botswana’s Gaborone Utd FC.
The three highest-ranked clubs earned a bye through the first preliminary round: South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, Esperance and Renaissance Berkane.
The second preliminary round follows a similar pattern. First legs fall between 16 and 18 October, and the return matches take place from the 23rd to the 25th.
Sudan’s Al Hilal SC are out of the 2025/2026 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
After picking a 1-1 away draw against Morocco’s RS Berkane, Al Hilal suffers a 1-0 defeat in the return leg played on Sunday at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Munir Chouiar netted the lone goal after 93 minutes to ensure RS Berkane qualified for the semi-final stage on a 2-1 goal aggregate.
Chouiar made amends after his penalty had been saved by the Al Hilal SC goalkeeper earlier in the 61st minute.
Few minutes into the second half the Sudan side thought they had taken the lead through Adama Coulibaly, but after VAR review, the goal was ruled out.
Laurentiu Regecamp, the Al Hilal SC coach said that although his team is eliminated from the competition, his team should be able to learn something from this.
RS Berkane now join other teams Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), ES Tunis (Tunisia) and another Moroccan side AS FAR in the semi-final stage.
Sudan giants Al Hilal SC collected a valuable away 1-1 draw to RS Berkane in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League quarter finals played on Saturday night.
Omar Abdel Rahman gave the Al Hilal side the lead after 13 minutes to silence the home fans at the Municipal Stadium in Berkane.
The two sides continued to attack and create several scoring opportunities, but the first half ended 1-0 with Al Hilal SC in the driving seat.
After recess the hosts RS Berkane pushed for an equalizer throughout intensifying their attacks. Their efforts paid off seven minutes in injury time when they were awarded a penalty.
Al Hilal SC defender Steven Ebuela tackled in the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Ebuela was sent off, while Mounir Chouiar successfully converted the penalty.
The second leg will take place on March 22 at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda. The winner will face the winner between reigning champions Pyramids FC (Egypt) and Morocco’s Raja Casablanca.
Sudan Premier League giants Al Hilal SC have traveled to Morocco ahead of their first leg tie against RS Berkane in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions league.
Coach Laurentiu Reghecampf’s team traveled on Thursday ahead of the match at the Municipal Stadium in Berkane on March 14th.
“We are determined to try and get a good result I this first leg and it explains why we have also made an early trip,” says the Al Hilal coach.
Although Reghecampf considers it a very tough and tactical encounter, he is optimistic they have what it takes to register good results in the two legs. “We need to be at our best to defend and attack as a team,” he added.
To reach the quarter final stage Al Hilal SC topped Group C with 11 points after registering three wins, two draws and one defeat. RS Berkane came second in Group A with 10 points behind reigning champions Pyramids.
Al Hilal SC will host RS Berkane in the return leg on March 22nd at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda.
Al Hilal SC are currently to pf the table in the Rwanda Premier League. They opted to play in the Rwanda Premier League because of the political instability back in Sudan.
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