CAF Champions League Matchweek 5 Wrap: Belouizdad, Raja, WAC, Esperance all advance to the quarter finals
CR Belouizdad booked a slot in the quarter finals of the Champions League after seeing of Etoile du Sahel in Algiers on Saturday.
Sofiane Bouchar and Mohamed Belkhir scored for the Algerians in the first half as they moved to 11 points in Group C, same as leaders Esperance with one round of group stage matches left.
Etoile needed nothing but a win in Saturday’s fixture away in Algiers, but they fell short, remaining third with just three points from three successive draws.
The home side knew three points at home would be a guarantee for them to be in the last eight and they had a bright start, getting into the lead after just three minutes.
Mohamed Bakir’s freekick from the left was spilled by the Etoile keeper right at Bouchar’s feet, the defender simply guiding the ball home.
They doubled their tally quarter of an hour later, this time Belkhir calmly finishing from inside the box after Karim Aribi flicked a long ball into his path.
They should have gone to the break three goals up, but Kheiredine Merzougui who had just come on for the injured Aribi failed to head on target off a Mokhtar Belkhiter pin-point cross.
Etoile tried to pull in some effort in the second half to get a comeback, but the Algerian side defended well to guard the victory and confirm their place in the last eight.
In the other group game, Kingsley Eduwo’s brace helped Esperance to a 3-0 victory over Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy in Francistown on Saturday evening as the Tunisian side also strolled into the quarter finals.
The victory in Botswana took Esperance to 11 points in Group C, and earn an unassailable lead from third placed Etoile du Sahel with one round of matches left.
For Jwaneng, their attempt at earning a maiden victory in their debut in the group stages of the Champions League didn’t come to fruition as they suffered their fourth loss in five matches.
The Tunisian giants came into the match with some comfort of sorts and needed just 13 minutes to get into the lead when Eduwo finished off a Raed Fadaa cross with a fine looping header inside the six yard box.
They were in crisp control of the match and they doubled their tally after 31 minutes when Nigerian Anayo Iwuala found the back of the net, taking advantage of a mix up between the keeper and defence to slam the ball home into an empty net..
In the second half, Jwaneng came back with a spirited display as they looked to bridge the gap. They pressed Esperance in their own half, but their fight was punctured in the 63rd minute when Oduwo scored his second.
The Nigerian picked up a lobbed ball from Ghaylen Chaaleli, muscled off his marker before tucking it under the keeper. Six minutes later, Abdelkader Bedrane almost made it three but his effort was deflected for a corner.
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With a three-goal cushion, Esperance were comfortable and saw off the result, meaning their final match of the group will be for pride to ensure they finish top of the pile.
Wydad Athletic Club left it late to break home side G.D. Sagrada Esperança’s hearts as they beat them 2-1 as Wydad move top of Group B with 12 points.
Esperança led by a solitary goal scored by Joaquim Paciencia until the 82nd minute when Zouheir El Moutaraji drew the Moroccans level. In the fourth minute of added time, substitute Juvhel Tsoumou completed the comeback to deny the home side a maiden group stage victory.
Paciencia had sent Esperança dreaming, scoring their first goal in the group stages after half an hour when he finished off a quick counter attack with Bonginkosi Dlamini squaring a cross from the right.
Muaid Ellafi almost drew Wydad level with an acrobatic kick off a corner, but the home side held on for the slim lead until halftime.
In the second half, Wydad camped in their half as they pushed to get back into the game. Esperanca keeper Gerson made a brilliant one on one save in the 54th minute to deny El Moutaraji after being put through on goal.
But, the midfielder dew his side level in the 82nd minute when he volleyed the ball home from the backpost after Guy Mbenza had flicked a corner to his path.
Mbenza was then denied by the post after a sweet connection from a cross, before forcing keeper Gerson to a brilliant one handed save.
However, Esperanca chocked in the last minute of added time when substitute Tsoumou scored the winner.
On the contrary, Zamalek’s search for a maiden win ended up in smoke as they played to a barren draw with Petro De Luanda in Angola.
Petro remain top with 11 points while Zamalek who are already out collected their third point of the group.
In Group A, ten-man Mamelodi Sundows are assured of finishing top of Group A after thrashing Al Hilal 4-2 in Omdurman on Saturday.
Peter Shalulile, Teboho Mokoena and Thapelo Morena’s double did the job for Sundowns while Yasir Mozamil and Elnour Eltayib scored the consolation for Hilal.
Sundowns had to play 79 minutes of the match with 10 men after Kenyan defender Brian Onyango was sent off in the 11th minute after making a tackle as a last man of defense.
With the result, Sundowns are assured of finishing top of the group with 13 points, six ahead of second placed Al Ahly.
Shalulile broke the deadlock just two minutes into the tie when he turned well inside the box from a Themba Zwane pass before slamming the ball home.
Yasir Mozamil Mohamed of Al Hilal and Lyle Lakay of Mamelodi Sundowns challenge for possession during the CAF Champions League 202122 football match between Al Hilal and Mamelodi Sundowns held at the Al-Hilal Sta
Despite being reduced to 10 men nine minutes later, Sundowns dominated play and they doubled their lead on the half hour mark with Mokoena taking a rasping 40 yard freekick into the net.
In the second half, Hilal came back seeking a route back and they halved the deficit with Mohamed scoring 10 minutes after the restart.
But Sundowns restored their two goal lead with Morena scoring the first of his two four minutes later.
The South Africans continued their dominance and Morena completed his brace in the 89th minute.
Eltayib pulled one back in the fourth minute if added time, but Sundowns had long taken care of the result.
Ahly had gone ahead through Percy Tau’s first half strike but Merrikh drew level in the second half through Ramadan Agab.
But, Ahly, who were playing as the away team in Cairo, scored in the 72nd and 73rd minutes through Mohamed Sherif and Ahmed Abdelkader to bag all three points.
The win now takes the Red Devils to seven points with one match remaining, what looks a likely finale against another Sudanese side, Al Hilal.
Al Ahly were off to a flier and got a 19th minute lead when Tau capitalized on a poor defensive header from Hamza Dawood before striking a low shot into the net. The holders held on to this lead till halftime.
In the second half, Ahly came back stronger and were denied by the bar in the 52nd minute when Agab curled the ball onto the woodwork after picking up a cross from Tony Edjomariegwe.
The striker however got his much desired goal on the hour mark when he pounced on the ball after keeper Mohamed Elshenawy punched a shot from Hussien Nooh Mohamed right into his path.
But Ahly quickly regrouped and went back into the lead in the 72nd minute when Sheriff finished off Ali Maaloul’s cross with a first time shot.
Immediately after the restart, substitute Abdelkader who had just spent 10 minutes on the pitch pickpocketed a Merrikh defender of the ball at the edge of the box before dribbling in and scoring with some delightful finish.
The Egyptian giants held on to the lead and the three points to boost their bid for a ticket into the quarter finals.
In Group B, Raja Club Athletic are also through to the quarter finals after completing the double over South African debutants AmaZulu, beating them 2-0 at their turf in Durban on Friday.
Having beaten them 1-0 when they met in the first leg in Casablanca, Raja made it a home and away sweep with goals in either half from the Adadad duo of Hamid and Illias.
The victory in South Africa takes Raja to 12 points with one match to go while AmaZulu’s fairytale run now hangs in the balance as they remain third with six points.
Hamid got the Green Eagles ahead after six minutes when he beautifully exchanged passes with Mohsine Moutaouali.
The skipper sent him through on goal with a delightful chip behind the defense and Hamid did justice to the pass with another beautiful lob over the advancing keeper.
The Moroccans had another chance when the AmaZulu keeper spilled a cross from Moutaouali, the ball falling on Marouane
Hadhoudi’s path. However, the cenyral defender clipped the ball over the bar.
Mohamed Nahiri lined up next with a chance for the visitors, this time his freekick from 30 yards out attracting a brilliant save from the keeper.
In the second half, Raja kept their attack and keeper Veli Mothwa made another brilliant save in the 73rd minute, this time denying Hamid an opportunity for a brace with a corner off a cross from the left.
The Moroccans however finally got their second in the 77th minute when Illias doubled their lead with a well taken finish inside the box after being played through by Jamal Harkass’s header from a corner.
AmaZulu attempted to mount a comeback in the last 10 minutes of the game, and the closest they came was off a brilliant Bongi Ntuli header off a corner, but the substitute’s effort was parried away by the keeper.
