Ivory Coast club ASEC Mimosas became the first high-profile casualties of 2025-26 CAF Champions League qualifying on Sunday after losing a penalty shootout against Zambian visitors Power Dynamos.
Souleymane Fofana scored after 52 minutes to give former African champions ASEC a 1-0 win in the first round second leg in the Ivorian commercial capital Abidjan despite having Seydou Sacko sent off.
The narrow victory levelled the aggregate score at 1-1 after Power Dynamos had won the first leg last weekend through a solitary goal from Innocent Kashita.
While the Zambians converted five consecutive penalties in the shootout, Benin international midfielder Romaric Amoussou missed the fifth ASEC spot-kick and his club were eliminated.
The other Ivorian challengers, Stade Abidjan, did secure a place in the final qualifying round during October thanks to a 5-1 aggregate victory over Cote d'Or of the Seychelles.
Power Dynamos, who have never reached the group stage of the premier African club competition, will face Vipers of Uganda in the second round.
Vipers, who also have never made it to the 16-club group phase, won 1-0 both at home and away against African Stars of Namibia with Junior Sentamu the second-leg match-winner in Uganda.
While ASEC fell, the other six former champions in action, including Stade Abidjan, comfortably survived the first hurdle.
Orlando Pirates of South Africa and JS Kabylie of Algeria had the widest winning margins, scoring seven goals each without reply over two legs against Lioli of Lesotho and Bibiani Gold Stars of Ghana, respectively.
NIGERIAN VICTORIES
Esperance of Tunisia were 7-1 overall victors against AS FAN of Niger, while there were three-goal winning margins for FAR Rabat of Morocco over Real Banjul of Gambia and Mouloudia Alger of Algeria against Fassell of Liberia.
Surprise 2024-25 champions Pyramids of Egypt will only start their title defence on Wednesday against APR in Rwanda due to Fifa Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup commitments.
Record 12-time Champions League winners Al Ahly of Egypt and 2016 title-holders Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa had first round byes.
The nine former champions have avoided each other in the final qualifying round line-up, creating the possibility that they could all be involved in the group phase from November 21.
Only one club from African football powerhouse Nigeria has won the competition, with Enyimba achieving back-to-back successes in 2003 and 2004.
Nigerian challengers Remo Stars and Rivers United both made it the final qualifying round this season after contrasting victories.
Stars followed up a four-goal first-leg win over Zilimadjou of the Comoros by winning the return match 1-0 through an Alex Oyowah goal after 74 minutes.
After a goalless first leg against Aigles in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rivers won 1-0 at home and on aggregate thanks to Stephen Manyo, who netted six minutes into first-half added time.