CAF Champions League
History awaits Simba SC, Young Africans in CAF Champions League quarter final stage
Tanzania Premier League sides Simba SC and Young Africans SC will firmly carry the CECAFA flag this weekend when they face different opponents in the first leg of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The two teams await to make history at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam when Simba SC take on African giants Al Ahly (Egypt) on Friday, while Young Africans SC battle South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns FC the next day.
After failing to go past the quarter final stage last season, Simba SC will be more than hungry to try and prove a point in a match expected to have fans fill the Stadium in what is anticipated a mother of all battles.
Interestingly when the two sides last faced off last year in the inaugural African Football League, Simba SC settled for a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Dar es Salaam, while the second leg also ended 1-1, but the Egyptians qualified for the next phase on an away goals rule. In the group stage of the 2020/2021 Champions League Simba SC defeated Al Ahly 1-0, and the Egyptian giants also picked a similar score in Cairo.
Abdelhak Benchikha, Simba SC’s Algerian coach has however made it clear that they need to be in total control of the match from the start to the end because the first leg is very important in determining what comes out of the quarter final played over two legs. “We need to play as a unit because we are facing a strong side,” adds Benchikha.
To reach the quarter final stage Simba Sc ejected Zambia’s Power Dynamos in the second round, before coming out second in the group stage that had former champions Wydad AC, ASEC Mimosas and Jwaneng Galaxy from Botswana.
The Reds of Msimbazi Simba will look to some of their experienced players including DR Congo midfielder Henock Inonga Baka who helped his team finish fourth at the AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast last month.
For Young Africans SC who lost in the final of the 2022/2024 TotalEnegies CAF Confederation Cup to Algeria’s USM Alger they are hoping to re-write their own history. It is the third time that they appear at this stage and are determined to leave their mark in the prestigious tournament.
But they come against a very tricky side, champions in 2016 and also lifted the inaugural African League last year. The Citizens as they are known how however vowed to go all out and ensure they get the much needed result before the return leg in South Africa.
Head coach Miguel Angel Gamondi has said although they respect Mamelodi Sundowns, his team has what it takes to get a good result at home. “We know what we must do to go past the first leg and later prepare for the return leg,” adds the Argentine.
Gamondi who brings a lot of experienced having handled Wydad AC, CR Belouizdad, and USM Alger among others is expected to make some changes to his team since some players are expected to return from injury.
The likes of Paçome Zouzoua from Ivory Coast has so far played a pivotal role in seeing Young Africans reach this far and a lot will be expected from him come Saturday.
Zouzoua has had four goals and two assists in nine games in the competition. To get this far Young Africans saw off Djibouti Telecom in the first preliminary round, and ejected Al Merreikh in the second round. They finished second in the group that had Al Ahly, CR Belouizdad (Algeria) and Medeama (Ghana).
Besides the locals in Tanzania several football fans from around the East and Central region and Africa have already arrived in Dar es Salaam to watch history being made by the top two Tanzanian sides.
The winner between Simba SC and Al Ahly will prepare to battle the winner between Esperance de Tunis and ASEC Mimosas at the semi-final stage, while the winner between Young Africans SC and Mamelodi Sundowns will take on the winners between TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Angola’s Petro de Luanda.
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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