Several surprises in CAF Champions League group stage openers

The opening round of the group stages of the 2024/25 CAF Champions league were played on Tuesday night with no shortage of goals or drama.

We round up the eight fixtures that produced several surprise results.

TP MAZEMBE 0-0 MC ALGER

The Algerians will be pleased with any away point in Lubumbashi as they got their Group A campaign off to a solid start in one of the toughest places to go in African football.

Mazembe controlled possession but it was MC Alger who had more shots on goal, 8-7, without being able to find the back of the net. It was also a constant battle for the visitors against the assistant referee’s offside flag.

YOUNG AFRICANS 0-2 AL HILAL

New Young Africans coach Sead Ramovic had a tough start to life in the dugout with a surprise 2-0 Group A home loss to the Sudanese.

The visitors had two shots on goal and scored with them both as Adama Coulibaly netted just past the hour-mark and Yasir Mozamil made sure of the win in the final minute.

AL AHLY 4-2 STADE D’ABIDJAN

Defending champions Al Ahly were 3-0 up inside 26 minutes to kill the Group C contest as Kahraba, Afsha and Hussein El Shahat caught the visitors' defence cold.

Kassoum Kone pulled a goal back for the Ivorians, but when Kahraba added a second early in the second half, it really was game over. Roger Assale did score again for the visitors, while Percy Tau came off the bench for Ahly with 15 minutes remaining.

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS 0-0 MANIEMA UNION

A frustrating evening for Sundowns, who did not hit their best form in this Group B encounter and in the end were perhaps fortunate to come away with a point against the DR Congo side, who were making their pool stage debut.

Maniema hit the crossbar in the second half and had several other chances, while Sundowns had 76 per cent possession and 17 shots, but it was a poor display from them to follow the weekend disappointment of a Carling Knockout final loss to Magesi FC.

PYRAMIDS FC 5-1 SAGRADA ESPERANÇA

The joint biggest win of the round was achieved by Pyramids FC in Cairo as they thumped their Angola opponents to send a strong message about their potential in Group D.

Ibrahim Adel scored a brace to go with goals from Mohamed Hamdi, Fiston Mayele and Ahmed Atef as they ran riot in the second half, scoring four goals. Cachi netted a late consolation for the visitors.

CR BELOUIZDAD 1-2 ORLANDO PIRATES

All three goals in this clash came from South Africans as Orlando Pirates claimed a first away win in the Champions League group stages for 11 years with this Group C win in Algeria.

The 20-year-old Mohau Nkota produced a neat finish one-on-one with the goalkeeper for their first, before he added a superb second with a rasping shot from 30-yards. Bafana Bafana winger Khanyisa Mayo pulled a goal back for Belouizdad but they could not force an equaliser despite heavy late pressure.

ESPERANCE 4-0 DJOLIBA

Last year’s beaten finalists Esperance showed all of their quality as they brushed aside their Malien opponents with another Bafana international on the scoresheet.

Raed Bouchniba opened the scoring for the hosts before Elias Mokwana added a second before halftime. Furtehr goals from Oussema Bouguerra and Koussay Maacha sealed a big win in Group D for the home side.

RAJA CASABLANCA 0-2 FAR RABAT

FAR rabat came out on top in their Moroccan derby in Group B as they scored goals through Ahmed Hammoudan and Khalid Ouarkhane Alt.

Raja midfielder Sabir Bougrine had the chance to level the game from the penalty-spot when it was 1-0 but failed in his attempt and it is a tough home loss for the side from Casablanca.