CAFCL: Raja thrash debutants Vipers; Belouizdad edge Zamalek in Egypt
Moroccan giants Raja Club Athletic hammered Ugandan champions Vipers SC 5-0 as the latter endured a humbling welcome into the group stages of the CAF Champions League on Friday night.
The Venoms are playing the group phase for the first time ever, and it wasn’t the start they envisaged as they endured a humbling debut at the Mohamed V Complex in Casablanca.
Hamza Khabba, Jamal Harkass, Mohamed Zrida, Yousri Bouzouk and Roger Aholou had a goal each as Raja kicked off their campaign with an emphatic victory that puts them comfortably in charge, top of Group C.
A string of goalkeeping howlers from Vipers custodian Alfred Mudekereza saw Raja get a 2-0 lead within the opening 11 minutes of the game.
In the fifth minute, the goalkeeper let in a seemingly harmless looping header from Khabba after the latter rose just inside the box to connect to a cross from the right.
Algerian champions CR Belouizdad began their group stage campaign with a precious 1-0 win away to Egyptian giants Zamalek on Friday.
Cameroonian striker Leonel Wamba scored the the only goal of the game in Cairo to seal the important victory for the visitors to set the early pace in Group D by taking them to the top.
The 20-year old forward calmly slotted the winning goal in the 56th minute as the Algerians overpowered the White Knights to pick their third win in a row across all competitions.
Belouizdad were awarded a penalty after Nabil Dunga was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box as he went to ground to attempt a block on Houssem Eddine Mrezigue’s shot from the edge of the area.
Before that, chances were few and far in between and Zamalek’s best chance fell on Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed whose curling freekick from the edge of the area went over.
Late on, Zamalek had chances with Zizo seeing his shot from the near post saved by the keeper while Dunga had a chance to make amends in added time, but couldn’t connect Zizo’s cross on target.
Zamalek, who failed to make it off the group stages last season, now have work to do again, to gain ground in the group.
