CAF Champions League: Samartex Beat Victoria United to Advance to Next Round of Qualifiers
Ghana Premier League champions, Samartex, are through to the next round of qualifiers for the 2024/25 CAF Champions League following their win over Victoria United on Sunday.
The Timber Giants claimed a 1-0 win at the Accra Sports Stadium to ensure they book a place in the second round of qualifiers.
Isaac Afful scored the only goal of the game in the first half of the encounter to ensure Nurudeen Amadu’s men continue their journey on the continent.
The Samreboi-based side, heading into the fixture, had won 0-1 in Cameroon in the first leg of the encounter to get half of the job done.
Their victory in the second leg ensures they grab a 2-0 aggregate win over their opponents to progress to the next stage.
Samartex will now face Raja Casablanca of Morocco who flexed their muscles with a 5-0 thrashing of AS Garde Nationale from Niger.
Already leading 2-1 from the first leg, Raja’s comprehensive win featured goals from Mohamed Zrida, Nawfal Zarhouni, Mohamed Boulacsout, Adam Ennafati, and Saber Bougrine.
In other matches, Tanzania’s Young Africans (Yanga) delivered a masterclass on Saturday, defeating Burundi’s Vital’O 6-0.
The resounding victory in Dar es Salaam completed a 10-0 aggregate win, marking the largest margin of victory in the 14 completed ties so far.
Zambian midfielder Clatous Chama emerged as the architect of Vital’O’s downfall, scoring once and providing four assists in a virtuoso performance.
The rout began early when Ivorian Pacome Zouzoua converted a 14th-minute penalty after Vital’O had been reduced to 10 men.
Goals from Clement Mzize, Chama, and Zimbabwean Prince Dube followed, before Vital’O lost another player to a red card.
With their opponents down to nine men, Young Africans added two more through Burkina Faso’s Stephane Aziz Ki and Yahya Mudathir.
The emphatic victory sets up an intriguing East African clash in the final qualifying round, with Young Africans set to face Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian side advanced despite being held to a 1-1 draw at home by Uganda’s Villa, progressing 3-2 on aggregate.
In a dramatic encounter, Stade d’Abidjan of Cote d’Ivoire eliminated Senegal’s Teungueth FC on penalties after both legs ended 1-1.
The Ivorian side held their nerve to win the shootout 5-4, ending Teungueth’s dreams of reaching the group stage.
The qualifiers also saw Egyptian side Pyramids FC continue their impressive form, following up a 6-0 first leg win over JKU of Zanzibar with a 3-1 victory in the return fixture.
Pyramids, aiming to join the illustrious company of Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily as Egyptian Champions League winners, will face a stern test in the next round against APR of Rwanda.
APR secured their place with a 2-0 home win over Tanzania’s Azam, overturning a first-leg deficit to progress 2-1 on aggregate.
Goals from Jean Bosco Ruboneka and Gilbert Mugisha set up a rematch with Pyramids, who convincingly defeated APR 6-1 in Cairo last season.
In a nail-biting encounter, Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana edged out African Stars of Namibia on penalties after the tie ended 1-1 on aggregate.
Omaatla Kebatho’s goal cancelled out the first leg deficit, before Galaxy held their nerve to win 6-5 in the shootout.
Their reward is a second-round clash with Orlando Pirates of South Africa, whom they shocked in last season’s competition.
