Matchday 5 of the CAF Champions League’s group stage saw five teams join already-qualified Al Hilal in securing quarterfinal berths for the premier continental competition.
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ASFAR, Pyramids FC, Esperance de Tunis, Al Ahly and Orlando Pirates have put their names alongside the Sudanese club to see six of the eight slots in the next round confirmed.
In Group A, MC Alger took a major step toward qualification when they defeated DR Congo’s TP Mazembe 1-0 in Algiers on Friday night, courtesy of Akram Bouras’s first-half penalty.
The Algerian club could have been confirmed quarterfinalists had leaders Al Hilal not suffered a 1-0 ‘home’ loss to Tanzania’s Young Africans in Nouakchott on Sunday night.
Stephane Aziz Ki scored the lone goal, as Yanga closed to within one point of second-placed MCA – setting up a crunch match between the teams in Dar es Salaam next Saturday afternoon.
Group B leaders ASFAR confirmed progression on Saturday night when they were held 1-1 at home by fellow Moroccan club Raja Casablanca (Anas Zniti’s own goal to put the Army side ahead was cancelled out by Raja’s Nawfel Zerhouni from the penalty spot).
ASFAR are likely to be joined in the last eight by South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who claimed a clutch 2-1 away win over DR Congo’s AS Maniema Union in Kinshasa on Saturday afternoon thanks to an own goal deep in injury time from the hosts’ Exaucia Moanda. Sundowns will only need a draw in their final match at home to ASFAR next Sunday to guarantee a quarterfinal ticket.
Group C is all wrapped up after the top two of Orlando Pirates and Al Ahly both claimed victories to secure qualification.
The Egyptian heavyweights came from a goal down to defeat Stade d’Abidjan 3-1 in Ivory Coast on Saturday – via a second-half hat-trick from Emam Ashour – before the South Africans reclaimed top spot with a 2-1 home triumph over Algeria’s CR Belouizdad on Sunday.
Relebohile Mofokeng and Thalente Mbatha struck the goals for the Buccaneers in Soweto, as they advanced into the knockout rounds of the Champions League for the first time since they were runners-up in the competition in 2013.
Pyramids FC of Egypt and Tunisia’s Esperance did the same thing in Group D, securing wins to lock out the top two places and guarantee advancement. Pyramids trumped Sagrada Esperanca 1-0 in Angola on Saturday thanks to Mohamed Hamdy’s late, late goal, while Esperance edged Mali’s Djoliba 1-0 in Bamako on Sunday courtesy of a second-half strike from Elias Mokwana.
The Champions League group stage will conclude next weekend with eight matches across Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 January.
CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WEEKEND RESULTS
Friday 10 January
MC Alger 1-0 TP Mazembe
Saturday 11 January
Maniema Union 1-2 Mamelodi Sundowns
Sagrada Esperanca 0-1 Pyramids
Stade d’Abidjan 1-3 Al Ahly
ASFAR 1-1 Raja Casablanca
Sunday 12 January
Orlando Pirates 2-1 CR Belouizdad
Djoliba 0-1 Esperance de Tunis
Al Hilal 0-1 Young Africans