CAF Champions League: FAR Rabat, Pyramids Clinch Historic Quarter-Final Spots, Ashour Hat-Trick Powers Ahly
FAR Rabat booked their place in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in the group stage era after a 1-1 draw against Moroccan rivals Raja Casablanca in Rabat on Saturday night.
The Royal Army took the lead in the 40th minute when Raja goalkeeper Anas Zniti accidentally turned a corner kick into his own net.
Raja leveled the score in the 77th minute through Noufel Zerhouni, who converted a penalty after Maamouri was brought down in the box.
Moments later, Raja thought they had taken the lead when Issa Ben Omar scored, but the goal was ruled out for a foul on the FAR goalkeeper.
FAR Rabat now lead Group B with nine points, securing their quarter-finals spot, while Raja remain on five points, facing an uphill battle to qualify.
Meanwhile, Pyramids FC clinched their first-ever CAF Champions League quarter-final berth with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Sagrada Esperança in Angola on Saturday.
Substitute Marawan Hamdi proved to be the hero, netting the winner in the 94th minute to send the Egyptian side to the top of Group D with 10 points.
The match, played at a brisk tempo, saw Pyramids dominate possession but struggle to convert their chances. Sagrada had their own opportunities, with their forward missing a golden chance in the 75th minute.
But as the game seemed destined for a draw, Hamdi capitalized on a defensive lapse to score the decisive goal. The defeat leaves Sagrada on five points, in third place, while Pyramids cement their position at the summit of the group.
Stade d’Abidjan 1-3 Al Ahly
Imam Ashour’s sensational hat-trick inspired Al Ahly to a 3-1 comeback win over Stade d’Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday, moving the reigning champions closer to the quarter-finals.
The hosts took the lead in the 26th minute through Saint-Jean Corre, but Ashour equalized early in the second half with a clinical finish. The Egyptian midfielder doubled his tally in the 73rd minute with a towering header off a Khaled Abdel Fattah cross.
Ashour sealed his hat-trick deep into injury time, firing a powerful shot after a swift counterattack. The win propels Al Ahly to 10 points, temporarily topping Group C, while Stade d’Abidjan remain at the bottom with just one point.
Maniema Union 1-2 Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Maniema Union in the fifth round of matches of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage on Saturday.
The match, played at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, kept the South African side firmly in contention for a quarter-final spot.
Maniema Union took the lead in the 38th minute when Congolese forward Jafty Kitambala finished a precise counter-attack to give the home team a deserved advantage.
The second half saw Sundowns dominate possession, with relentless attacking pressure.
Their persistence paid off in the 83rd minute when Namibian striker Peter Shalulile latched onto a cross and struck a composed equaliser to restore parity.
As the match appeared destined for a draw, a heart-breaking moment for Maniema Union occurred in the dying minutes of stoppage time.
Defender Exosya Mwanda inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net while attempting to clear a dangerous Sundowns cross, handing the visitors a decisive victory.
The result sees Sundowns climb to 8 points, holding second place in Group B, while Maniema Union remain on 3 points and are eliminated from quarter-final contention.
