The 2018 /2019 CAF Champions League reached a penultimate stage with the first leg qualifiers of the first round played over the weekend before the group stage.
Former title holders Wydad Casablanca and Club Africain registered impressive wins at home, while Al Nasr of Libya were one of the biggest winners humiliating Horoya AC of Guinea 3-0 in a one-sided affair.
Overall last 16 winners will be matched with CAF Champions League last 16 losers over two legs next month for eight group slots in the second-tier African club competition.
Ducor Sports takes a roundup of the weekend fixtures.
Al Nasr v Horoya
Al Nasr of Libya left Horoya with a mountain to climb after recording a 3-0 win in a match which was played in Cairo due to security concerns in Libya.
Moataz Al Mahd netted a brace while Horoya’s Malian defender Marius Assoko scored an own goal to give Al Nasr the three-goal advantage.
The Guinean giants, Horoya, who competed in the last season’s group stage are now facing elimination and have to be at their best in the second leg at home to overturn the deficit.
Al Ahly v Jimma
After finishing in the last two seasons as runners-up, Ahly secured a comfortable 2-0 win over Jimma Aba Jiffar of Ethiopia at Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria on Friday.
Nasser Maher got the Red Devils on the driving seat in the seventh minute, from Karim Walid’s well-threaded supply that came off the post.
Minutes later, Hamoudi played a great ball to Marwan Mohsen, who beat Aba Jifar’s defender, before putting the ball past the goalkeeper, placing the Egyptian side in an advantageous position for the return leg.
CS Constantine v Vipers
Ugandan champions Vipers SC gave themselves a massive chance to reach to the next stage after narrowly losing 1-0 to the Algerian side.
The hosts got their only goal through Beldijilali who struck in the 14th minute into the match to separate the two sides.
Nkana v Simba
Zambian side Nkana FC on Saturday ended Simba of Tanzania’s perfect start in the competition by hammering them 2-1 in Kitwe.
Simba came into the match after a convincing 8-1 aggregate win over Mbabane Swallows of Eswatini.
Ronald Kapamba broke the deadlock early in the opening stanza with Kelvin Mubanda putting his name on the score sheet, ten minutes into the second half.
Simba got an important away goal in the 72nd minute through a penalty when Muhammed Musa fouled John Bocco, who dusted himself up to convert the penalty.
AS Vita v Bantu
The 1978 Champions, AS Vita Club of Congo made a giant step towards the group stages, hammering minnows Bantu of Lesotho 4-1 in Kinshasa.
Jean-Marc Makusu, runner-up in the CAF Confederations Cup golden boot with 11 goals, bagged a brace for the Congolese.
Johannes Molapo hit Bantu’s consolation as they now need to score 3-0 at home to reach the group stages.
Al Ahly Benghazi v Mamelodi Sundowns
Al Ahly Benghazi drew with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in the second round of the African Champions League, at the Petrosport Stadium in Cairo Sunday.
Al Ahly Benghazi tried making a few attempts but none of them was close enough to trouble South Africa’s team.
Elsewhere, Tunisia Club Africain came from behind to defeat Al Hilal of Sudan 3-1 in Radhes.
Yassine Chammakhi converted from the penalty spot while Bilel Khefifi and Oussama Darragi also weighed in with a goal each to secure Club Africain’s win.
Mohamed Musa grabbed Al Hilal’s consolation goal which they hope could count for an away goal advantage when they host the Tunisians.
In Lumbubashi, five-time Africa Champions TP Mazembe began this season campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Zambian club Zesco United with Jackson Muleka scoring 19 minutes into the match to separate the two sides.
The second leg in Ndola next week will see Tesco needing to score at least a goal to push the match to a penalty shootout while avoiding conceding against a TP Mazembe side which knows that an away goal could further their advantage.
The second-leg matches are scheduled to be played next weekend, 21-23 December.
CAF Champions League results, 14-16 December 2018
Friday 14 December
Al Ahly 2-0 Jimma Aba Jifar
Al Nasr 3-0 Horoya
CS Constantine 1-0 Vipers
Saturday 15 December
Nkana 2-1 Simba
Stade Malien 0-1 ASEC Mimosas
JS Saoura 2-0 Ittihad Tanger
Wydad Casablanca 2-0 ASC Diaraf
Orlando Pirates 0-0 African Stars
Sunday 16 December
Ismaily 2-0 Coton Sport
TP Mazembe 1-0 Zesco United
Al Ahly Benghazi 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Gor Mahia 3-1 Lobi Stars
AS Vita 4-1 Bantu
Club Africain 3-1 Al Hilal
AS Otoho 1-1 FC Platinum
