CAF Champions League Recap: ASEC Mimosas, Jaraaf exit

The first round of the CAF Champions League is close to competion after Sunday’s action, which featured the elimination of one notable African powerhouse. Ivory Coast’s ASEC Mimosas were sent out by Zambian champions Power Dynamos following a penalty shootout in Abidjan.

ASEC won the second leg at home 1-0 to level the aggregate score but goalkeeper Charles Folly could not save any of the excellently taken spot kicks from Dynamos, whose goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga saved on ASEC’s fifth attempt to win it for the visitors.

Dynamos will attempt to be the first Zambian club to make it to the group stage of Africa’s top club competition since ZESCO United achieved this during the 2019-20 season.

In the later results from Sunday, Algeria’s JS Kabylie crushed Ghana Premier League champions Bibiani GoldStars 5-0 to complete a dominant 7-0 aggregate victory. Veteran playmaker Ryad Boudebouz was among the scorers to add to GoldStars’ misery with a first half penalty kick.

Heavy underdogs Dadje FC of Benin put in a heroic effort but came just short in a 0-1 defeat to Al Ahli Tripoli. The Libyan club with deep pockets struggled to find a way past their counterparts but a second half own goal was just enough for Ahli to avoid a massive upset, who were fortunate not to concede a crucial away goal late.

Cameroon’s Colombe Sportive impressed despite a scoreless first leg and they did excellently to defeat Senegalese powerhouse ASC Jaraaf 1-0 (video below) in the second leg played in Senegal to advance by the same score on aggregate. FC Nouadhibou of Mauritania, Nigeria’s Rivers United and Sudanese giants Al Hilal also advanced following victories on Sunday.

Kenya Police FC struggled and lost their second leg 0-2 to Somalia’s Mogadishu City but advanced by virtue of away goals from a 3-1 first leg victory, where Mogadishu were the “home” side despite playing in Nairobi where the second leg also took place. It was a similar story in Dar es Salaam where Simba SC failed to impress but did just enough to hold on with a 1-1 draw against Botswana’s Gaborone United.

Finally, Nsingizini Hotspurs completed an impressive weekend for clubs from Eswatini with a penalty shootout victory over Zimbabwe’s Simba Bhora after a 1-0 victory at home in the second leg. They join Royal Leopards in advancing, who did the job with dominant second leg victory over Namibian opposition in the CAF Confederation Cup.

There remains two ties to be settled. DR Congo’s Saint-Éloi Lupopo won their first leg on Saturday 1-0 at home over Sudan’s Al Merrikh while reigning African club champions Pyramids FC of Egypt have yet to kick off their clash with Rwanda’s APR FC due to participating in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

CAF Champions League Results

Sunday

Nsingizini Hotspurs (ESW) 1-0 Simba Bhora (ZIM)

• Tied 1-1 on aggregate. Nsingizini Hotspurs advance 4-2 in a penalty shootout.

Police FC (KEN) 0-2 Mogadishu City (SOM)

• Tied 3-3 on aggregate. Police FC advance via the away goals rule.

Simba SC (TZA) 1-1 Gaborone United (BWA)

• Simba SC advance 2-1 on aggregate.

US Monastir (TUN) 3-1 East End Lions (SLE)

• US Monastir advance 7-1 on aggregate.

Mangasport (GAB) 0-0 Rahimo FC (BFA)

• Tied 0-0 on aggregate. Rahimo FC advance 4-2 in a penalty shootout.

Rivers United (NGA) 1-0 Aigles du Congo (DRC)

• Rivers United advance 1-0 on aggregate.

Al Hilal Omdurman (SDN) 1-0 Jamus (SSD)

• Al Hilal Omdurman advance 1-0 on aggregate.

ASEC Mimosas (CIV) 1-0 Power Dynamos (ZAM)

• Tied 1-1 on aggregate. Power Dynamos win 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

ASC Jaraaf (SEN) 0-1 Colombe Sportive (CMR)

• Colombe Sportive advance 1-0 on aggregate.

Al Ahli Tripoli (LBY) 1-0 Dadje FC (BEN)

• Al Ahli Tripoli advance 1-0 on aggregate.

JS Kabylie (ALG) 4-0 Bibiani GoldStars (GHA)

• JS Kabylie advance 7-0 on aggregate.

FC Nouadhibou (MRT) 2-0 Fundacion Bata (EQG)

• FC Nouadhibou advance 2-0 on aggregate.

Friday and Saturday

ASAS (DJI) 1-1 Aigle Noir (BDI)

• Tied 1-1 on aggregate. Aigle Noir advance via the away goals rule.

Black Bulls (MOZ) 0-0 AC Leopard (COG)

• Tied 0-0 on aggregate. Black Bulls advance 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

Orlando Pirates (RSA) 4-0 Lioli FC (LES)

• Orlando Pirates advance 7-0 on aggregate.

Silver Strikers (MWI) 0-0 Elgeco Plus (MDG)

• Tied 1-1 on aggregate. Silver Strikers advance via the away goals rule.

Saint-Éloi Lupopo (DRC) 1-0 Al Merrikh (SDN)

• First leg. Second leg will be played on October 4.

Mlandege FC (ZAN) 3-2 Ethiopian Insurance (ETH)

• Ethiopian Insurance advance 4-3 on aggregate.

Young Africans (TZA) 2-0 Wiliete (ANG)

• Young Africans advance 5-0 on aggregate.

Horoya AC (GUI) 2-0 Al Hilal Benghazi (LBY)

• Horoya AC advance 2-1 on aggregate.

Petro de Luanda (ANG) 3-0 Cercle de Joachim (MUS)

• Petro de Luanda advance 6-0 on aggregate.

Vipers SC (UGA) 1-0 African Stars (NAM)

• Vipers SC advance 2-0 on aggregate.

Esperance ST (TUN) 4-1 AS FAN (NER)

• Esperance ST advance 7-1 on aggregate.

AS FAR Rabat (MAR) 2-1 Real de Banjul (GAM)

• AS FAR Rabat advance 4-1 on aggregate.

MC Alger (ALG) 3-0 FC Fassell (LBR)

• MC Alger advance 3-0 on aggregate.

Stade Malien (MLI) 2-0 Tempete MOCAF (CAF)

• Stade Malien advance 7-0 on aggregate.

RS Berkane (MAR) 3-1 ASC Kara (TOG)

• RS Berkane advance 4-2 on aggregate.
  
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