The bid to reach the quarter-finals of the 2018-19 CAF Champions League continued on Tuesday 12th February with fourteen clubs in action.
Only six goals were scored across the seven games with four producing wins and three ending in goalless stalemates.
In Group A, both matches ended in a goalless draw. Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca were held to a draw by Lobi Stars in a match played in Rabat, Morocco.
The home side dominated the match from the start, with their influential captain Brahim Nakach pulling the strings in midfield but lacked the passes to split the well-disciplined Lobi Stars defense.
In the other match, Mamelodi Sundown of South Africa held Asec Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire to a goalless stalemate at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.
Esperance de Tunis dispatched flat- footed Orlando Pirates in a Group B encounter played at an empty Stade El Menzah in Tunis.
Anice Badri gave the holders an early lead before substitute Haythem Jouini struck late to clinch the points.
The win saw the Blood and Gold go top of the standings with eight points from four matches, while the Buccaneers drop to third with five points.
In Conakry, Guinea’s Horoya AC beat FC Platinum 2-0 with strikes from Ocansey Mandela and Hudu Yakubu.
The winless and goalless FC Platinum are now out of contention for quarter-final slot as they remained rooted at the bottom of the group, with Horoya moving second in the group standings with seven points.
In Tunis, Club Africain held TP Mazembe to a 0-0 draw in a Group C match played at the Stade Olympique de Rades.
The result saw Tunisia’s Africain remain third in the group standings, while DR Congolese giants Mazembe also remained second in the table.
Al Ahly suffered their first defeat in Group D away to Tanzanian side Simba SC in a match played at National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The Reds entered the game sitting top of the group with seven points, while Simba came in third with three points.
Rwandese striker Meddie Kagere scored the all-important goal in the 65th minute when he received John Bocco’s heading pass and put the ball into the net.
Elsewhere, Ziri Hammar scored in the 78th minute to earn Saoura a 1-0 home victory against Vita Club – their first win of the group stage.
The result sees Algeria’s JSS move to third place in the Group D standings with five points, just two adrift of leaders Al Ahly. Simba SC are second with six points, while DRC giants Vita drop to the bottom of the log with four points but are out of the running.
Saoura will return to continental action on March 9 with a home match against Simba SA, while Vita will be at home to Egyptian giants and Group D leaders Al Ahly the same day.
