CAF Champions League
Young Africans, El Merriekh, APR FC progress in CAF Champions League
Five teams from the CECAFA Zone have progressed to the 2nd preliminary round of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Somalia’s Dekedaha SC were the first to book a place and write their own history after losing 4-3 to Arta Solar 7 (Djibouti) on Friday, but qualified on a 5-3 aggregate. They will now face Esperance de Tunis from Tunisia at the next level.
El Merriekh who had battled to a goalless draw away to Al Nasr in the first leg in Libya were in scoring mood today when they picked a 2-0 victory in the return leg played at the Juba Stadium in South Sudan. Mohammed Qabbani netted in each half to ensure his team qualified for the next round.
Tanzania Premier League reigning champions Young Africans SC also sailed through comfortably with a 6-0 thrashing of Vital’O (Burundi) to qualify on a 10-0 goal aggregate. Zouzoua Pacome netted an early 14th minute penalty kick. Clement Nzize made it 2-0 as the game went to recess at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.
Zambian international Clatous Chama, Prince Dube, Azizi Ki and Mudathir Yahya also got their names on the score sheet. Young Africans SC will now face Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in the 2nd preliminary round.
The debutants Commercial Bank of Ethiopia booked their place in the next stage on a 3-2 goal aggregate against Uganda’s SC Villa. The Ethiopian side picked a 2-1 win in Kampala, but the return leg played at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa on Saturday ended 1-1.
In Kigali at the Amahoro Stadium APR FC went all out and defeated Azam FC (Tanzania) 2-0 to qualify on a 2-1 goal aggregate. Jean Bosco Ruboneka and Gilbert Mugisha scored for APR FC. The Rwanda Premier League side will now face Pyramids (Egypt) who ejected JKU SC from Zanzibar.
Action continues on Sunday with Kenyan giants Gir Mahia hosting El Merriekh Bentiu from South Sudan at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, while Al Hilal (Sudan) also take on Al Ahly Benghazi (Libya) at the Juba Stadium in South Sudan.