CAF Champions League
Sudan’s Al Merreikh motivated ahead of Al Ahly tie
The head coach of Al Merreikh Lee Clark has said his team is well motivated ahead of a TotalEnergies CAF Champions League match against reigning champions Al Ahly.
Fresh from stopping arch-rivals Al Hilal 2-1 in a Group A match played last week, Clark says his players are in very good shape and will be hungry to collect more points.
Al Ahly, beaten 1-0 last weekend by group leaders Mamelodi Sundowns will host Al Merreikh on March 5th in Cairo, Egypt.
“We have made a good start in the group with a draw and win. We need to keep working hard and improving on the weak points,” added Clark.
The Al Merreikh head coach made it clear that facing the experienced Al Ahly team is always not easy, but added that team work and taking their chances will be key. “They are a good side and we respect them. But we shall be in Cairo targeting maximum points,” added Clark.
Al Merreikh striker Mohamed Abdeirahman Yousif Yagoub, who netted a brace in the win against Al Hilal also says the team is in high spirits and looking forward to the next match. “It is always special playing Al Ahly and we are looking forward to match match,” he added.
South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns lead Group A with 7 points, while Al Merriekh are second on 4 points, Al Ahly who have only collected one point from two matches are third, and Al Hilal bottom of the log.
Sudan giants Al Hilal have continued with their winning ways in the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Group A campaign.
Coach Florent Ibenge’s side stunned hosts MC Alger 1-0 with Guessouma Fofana scoring the lone goal after 76 minutes in Algiers, Algeria on Saturday night.
The win keeps Al Hilal comfortably top of the log with nine points after they had also stopped Young Africans SC 2-0 in Dar es Salaam and defeated TP Mazembe 2-1 in a match played in Mauritania a week ago.
“I am very happy that my players remained focused and collected the three points. We need to keep focused because we still have more games to go,” said Ibenge after the match.
In an earlier Group A match Tanzania’s Young Africans SC picked their first point in the Group stage after a 1-1 draw away to TP Mazembe in Kinsasha.
Substitute Cheick Fofana gave TP Mazembe the lead after 41 minutes, but Zimbabwean International Prince Dube leveled matters in the dying minutes of the game.
While Al Hilal have now collected 9 points, MC Alger are second with 4 points. TP Mazembe are in third place with 2 points, while Young Africans SC only have 1 point and are bottom of the log.
Sudan’s Al Hilal have stopped TP Mazembe 2-1 to maintain their winning run in Group A of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
After shocking Young Africans SC 2-0 in the opening match played in Dar es Salaam a week ago, Al Hilal made sure they collected another straight win against DR Congo giants in a match played on Sunday at the Cheikha Ouid Boidiya Stadium in Mauritania.
Al Hilal were awarded a penalty after 22 minutes, and Mohamed Abdel Rahman made no mistake from the spot to make it 1-0.
After recess TP Mazembe pushed forward and leveled matters after 64 minutes through Oscar Kabwit Tshikomb. Substitute Jean Claude Girumigisha came to the rescue to ensure Al Hilal collected maximum points with a winning goal one minute of added time.
“It was a very tough match. But I am happy that my players concentrated till the end of the match,” said a happy Al Hilal coach Florent Ibenge after the match.
Group A table leaders Al Hilal will next travel to face Algeria’s MC Alger on December 14th, while Young Africans SC play away to TP Mazembe in DR Congo.
Tanzanian Premier League reigning champions Young Africans SC will be hoping to return to winning ways when the face MC Alger in a 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Group A tie on Saturday.
The tricky encounter will take place at the Stade du 5 Juillet in the capital Algiers
After losing their opening Group A match 2-0 to Sudan’s Al Hilal in Dar es Salaam last weekend, Young Africans SC’s new coach Sead Ramovic will be hoping that his team can return strongly.
“We need to be very cautious because the match is away from home and we must play better than we played against Al Hilal,” says Ramovic.
“We are coming up against a difficult team with many experienced players but we also have a side with very good players too. We are under pressure after losing our first game but that also gives us the strength to prepare well for tomorrow’s encounter,” added the coach.
While Young Africans SC suffered defeat in their opening Group A match, MC Alger picked a goalless draw away to TP Mazembe in DR Congo.
Group A table leaders Al Hilal will return to action against TP Mazembe on Sunday in a match they will hosts at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium, Nouakchott in Mauritania.
Sudan giants Al Hilal have kick started their Group A TotalEnergies CAF Champions League campaign in style with a 2-0 away win against Young Africans SC.
After a goalless first half, coach Florent Ibenge’s team returned strong to score through Adam Coulibaly and Mozamir Yasir to shock the Tanzanian giants in-front of their fans at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.
The Malian put Al Hilal ahead after 63 minutes, before Yasir put the icing on the cake after 90 minutes. It was also the first match for newly recruited Young Africans SC coach Sead Ramovic whose side missed the services of injured Ugandan international Khalid Aucho.
“We are very happy to collect maximum points away from home. We need to remain focused,” said Al Hilal’s coach Ibenge after the match.
Ramovic, the Young Africans coach made it clear that there is still work to be done in-terms of team fitness and general play.
Al Hilal are now top of Group A after the match between hosts TP Mazembe from DR Congo and MC Alger ended goalless.
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