Egyptian giants Al Ahly kept up their quest for a record-extending tenth African Champions League crown as they joined Tanzanian side Simba in this season’s quarter-finals.
Al Ahly secured a 2-2 draw away to El Merrikh of Sudan in the match-day five Group A fixture on Saturday to book their place in last eight with one match to spare.
Simba hammered AS Vita of Democratic Republic of Congo 4-1 in the other Group A match to easily punch their way to Champions League quarters for their first time in history.
Record nine-time African champions Al Ahly came from two goals down with to claim a valuable point in their fight to retain their title.
Two first-half goals from Ramadan Agab and Saifeldin Malik put Merreikh were equalized by Badr Benoun from the spot and Yasser Ibrahim, who netted a stoppage-time header.
In Dar es Salaam, Mozambique international Luis Miquissone opened the scoring with a thunderous left shot in the 30th minute only for Zemanga Soze to equalize for Vita through a low drive that ricocheted off the bottom right post.
Zambian Cletus Chama scored the second for Msimbazi Reds after he cleverly disguised his shot past goalkeeper Simon Loti Omossola.
His countryman Larry Bwalya extended Simba’s lead on 66th minute when he latched on a Bernard Morrison cut back to unleash an unstoppable shot to make it 3-1.
Chama pocketed a brace on the 84th minute to comfortably send the Tanzanian Premier League champions to the African Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
