CAF Champions League
Simba Coach Benchikha rues missed chances in Al Ahly defeat
The head coach of Simba SC has blamed the defeat to Al Ahly to the many chances his players wasted in-front of goal on Friday in Dar es Salaam.
Simba SC suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Egyptian giants in the first leg of the quarter final match of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Ahmed Nabil Koka gave Al Ahly the lead after only four minutes after a defensive lapse at the Simba SC defending line infront of over 40,000 home fans at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
The Tanzania Premier League side Simba SC who are playing in their second straight quarter final of the Champions League dominated play with a 62 percentage against Al Ahly’s 38%. The likes of Saidi Ntibazonkiza, Clatous Chota Chama and substitute Willy Essomba Onana missed some seemingly clear scoring chances infront of goal.
Benchikha Abdelhak, the Simba SC head coach said that although they dominated play and gave a good account, they failed to score. “Al Ahly crated one chance and scored, but we had six good chances and failed to score,” reasoned the coach.
Abdelhak said that the early goal they conceded also made it very hard for his team because they were chasing from behind. “I am very sorry to our fans because they came in big numbers to support the team, but we failed to win after dominating,” he added.
He made it clear that although they are not scared of playing at the Cairo Stadium, they need to good back to the drawing board and prepare well ahead of the return leg. “We can also get a win in Cairo and qualify for the semi-final. We just need to learn to take our chances,” added the Simba SC coach.
The Al Ahly coach Marcel Martin Koller said that although his team did not create many chances in-front of goal, he is happy they picked the win away from home.” We still need to go and work hard for the return leg in-front of our fans,” he added.
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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