Simba SC, Al-Hilal fail to jump away hurdles in CAF Champions League

Tanzanian side Simba SC and Al Hilal suffered 1-0 defeats in their respective group ties played in the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions league.

In Tunisia hosts ES Sahel stopped Sudan Premier League giants Al-Hilal 1-0 on Friday in a Group C match with Jacques Amour Mb’e scoring the lone goal after 88 minutes.

At the Marrakech Stadium Yahya Jabrane failed to beat Simba SC goalkeeper Ayoub Lakred from the spot after the Moroccan team had been awarded a penalty on Saturday.

After recess Simba SC kept pushing upfront, but lacked the finishing touch. In the fifth minute of extra time Algerian International Zakaria Draoui netted the lone goal to give the three-time champions a good boost.

In another match played on Friday Tanzanian Premier League reigning champions Young Africans SC recorded their second draw in the group D after coming from a goal down to hold Medeama FC 1-1 in a match played in Kumasi, Ghana.

Jonathan Sowah gave the home side the lead from the spot, but Pacome Zouzoua leveled matters after 36 minutes.

The three teams from the CECAFA Zone will hope to improve their chances of making it to the knock out stage by getting maximum points at home at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium when they host different group matches between December 18-20th, 2023.

Al Hilal who have collected three points in Group C will hosts ES Sahel on December 18th, while Simba SC who are bottom of Group B with two points will host Wydad AC the next day. Young Africans SC will hosts Medeama FC on December 20th.