…FAR Rabat hit rivals Raja Casablanca, Pirates edge Belouizdad in Algiers
…Al Ahly’s journey starts with commanding win, Pyramids outclass Sagrada
Al-Hilal Omdurman head coach Florent Ibenge has praised his players for a solid display which saw them beat Young Africans 2-0 in their Group A opener of the CAF Champions League on Tuesday.
In the fixture at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Yanga started strongly but failed to utilise their chances. However, in the second half, the visiting side looked the better side and took the lead in the 63rd minute through Adama Coulibaly.
Substitute Yasir Mozamil, who had come on in the 83rd minute, then drilled home the winner in the stoppages to stun the Timu ya Mwananchi at their own turf. Speaking after the game, Ibenge said his team took advantage of Yanga’s missed chances in the first half to carry the day.
“The game was tough and we didn’t decide to play with a road block but Yanga started very well, they were very good, they kept the ball and we started very bad because we were not able to keep the ball,” Ibenge told Pan-Africa Football.
“It was difficult for us during the beginning of the game but with experience we started to come into the game, Yanga had two good chances to take the lead but we stopped them and from there on we controlled the game.
“At the second half we wanted to be more aggressive, and we did, we started to keep the ball, we had some good skills and when we scored, it became so easy for us to play, it wasn’t what we wanted to do, and when we don’t have the ball we don’t want to have space for the opponent, Yanga was very good at the beginning of the game, they played very good after that slowly our experienced opened, we kept the ball and played well.”
“The two changes we made also gave us a boost, the players who came in changed the game for us, they gave more and it became good for us, we are going back home to prepare for the next game, we want to take it a game at a time and try to take points in each game and we are going to be focused now against TP Mazembe.”
Meanwhile, FAR Rabat stunned Raja Casablanca with a 2-0 victory in a fiery Moroccan derby at the Stade Larbi Zaouli in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League on Tuesday night.
Ahmed Hammoudan gave the visitors an early advantage, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to find the bottom corner in the 41st minute.
Raja had an opportunity to equalise when awarded a penalty in the second half, but Sabir Bougrine’s effort was saved, much to the dismay of the home fans.
Khalid Aït Ouarkhane sealed the win for Association Sportive des Forces Armées Royales Rabat in stoppage time, finishing off a counterattack led by substitute Zakaria Ajoughlal.
The victory was a statement performance from Association Sportive des Forces Armées Royales Rabat, marking their first competitive win over Raja since 2020.
The result puts FAR Rabat at the top of Group B, while Raja are left to gather themselves after a poor start.
In another tantalizer, the buccaneers, Orlando Pirates made a triumphant return to the money spinning prestigious Champions League group stage with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Chabab Riadhi Belouizdad at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962.
Mohau Nkota was the hero for the South African side, scoring a sensational brace in the first half.
His first goal, a composed finish in the fifth minute, gave the visitors an early edge.
Nkota doubled the lead in the 27th minute with a thunderous strike from outside the box that left the goalkeeper rooted.
Belouizdad fought back after halftime, with Khanyisa Mayo heading in from a corner to halve the deficit.
Despite heavy pressure from the Algerian side in the closing stages, the Pirates’ defense stood firm to secure a valuable away victory.
The win sees Orlando Pirates tied with Al Ahly at the top of Group C, trailing only on goal difference.
It was a feast elsewhere as Esperance Tunis delivered a commanding performance, routing Djoliba 4-0 at the Stade Hammadi Agrebi.
Raed Bouchniba set the tone early with a sharp finish in the fourth minute. Elias Mokwana doubled the lead with a clinical strike before halftime.
Oussama Bouguerra added a third with a powerful header in the second half, while substitute Koussay Maacha rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.
Djoliba struggled to keep up with Esperance’s pace and precision, managing only a handful of attempts on goal.
The win moves Esperance level with Pyramids FC at the top of Group D, with both sides boasting dominant opening victories.
Super heavyweight and defending champions Al Ahly launched their quest for a third consecutive TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title with a resounding 4-2 victory over Côte d’Ivoire’s Stade d’Abidjan in Cairo on Tuesday.
The record title holders from Egypt dominated the first half, racing to a 3-1 lead, with Mahmoud Kahraba netting twice and Mohamed Magdi Kafsha adding another.
Stade d’Abidjan managed a response through Kassoum Koné but was ultimately overrun by Al Ahly’s firepower.
A second-half strike by Kahraba secured the points despite a late goal from Roger Assalé for the visitors.
And from the land of the Pharaohs comes this report that, Egypt’s Pyramids FC lit up the 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo with a scintillating 5-1 dismantling of Angola’s Sagrada Esperança.
Ibrahim Adel was the star, contributing two goals, including a stunning opener in the 17th minute.
Fiston Mayele, Mohamed Hamdy, and Ahmed Atef also found the net, while Sagrada’s consolation came late via Cachí.
The dominant display underscores Pyramids’ ambitions to make a deep run in only their second group-stage campaign.
In Group B inPretoria, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa were held to a 0-0 draw by DR Congo debutants Maniema Union at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Despite dominating possession, the home side failed to convert several chances, including Lucas Ribeiro Costa’s strike against the crossbar.
Maniema’s resilient defence earned them a valuable point in their first group-stage appearance.
The action continues with Group B’s marquee Moroccan derby between Raja Casablanca and FAR Rabat, while CR Belouizdad host Orlando Pirates in Group C.
It’s interesting to note that Orlando Pirates outside the big guns from the north is one of two teams that registered a win on MatchDay 1 so far.
War torn Sudan are punching hard as Al Hilal hit Young Africans as part of the establishment teams with a massive track record in club football on the continent.
GROUP STANDINGS AFTER MATCHDAY 1:
GROUP A
Al Hilal – 3 points
MC Algers – 1 point
TP Mazembe – 1 point
Young Africans – 0 point
GROUP B:
FAR Rabat – 3 points
Mamelodi Sundowns – 1 point
Maniema Union – 1 point
Raja Casablanca – 0 point
GROUP C:
Al Ahly – 3 points
Orlando Pirates – 3 points
CR Belouizdad – 0 point
Stade d’Abidjan – 0 point
GROUP D:
Pyramids FC – 3 points
Esperance Tunis – 3 points
Sagrada Esperança – 0 point
Djoliba AC – 0 point
Author: Mujuni Henry
JUNIITV
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