The reigning champions, Al Ahly of Egypt, and last season’s runners-up, Tunisia’s Esperance, both secured significant away victories in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League on Sunday.
Al Ahly Triumph Over Gor Mahia
Al Ahly, the current titleholders, returned with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Kenya’s Gor Mahia in Nairobi.
The result sees the Egyptian side make a strong start to their campaign, as they aim to defend their continental crown and add another CAF Champions League title to their storied history.
Esperance Outclass Dekedaha
Esperance Tunis also enjoyed a comfortable win, defeating Somalia’s Dekedaha 4-1.
The match, held at the Hamadi Agrebi Stadium in Rades, saw a standout performance from Youssef Belaili, who netted twice.
The victory gives Esperance a major advantage ahead of the second leg, also set to be played at the same venue next week, allowing them to approach the return fixture with greater ease.
Raja Casablanca Hold on for Draw Against Samartex
Meanwhile, Raja Casablanca of Morocco earned a crucial 2-2 draw away at Samartex in Ghana.
This result keeps Raja’s hopes alive as they prepare for the return leg in Morocco, aiming to secure a place in the group stage and continue their continental campaign.
In a similarly hard-fought encounter, Côte d’Ivoire’s San Pedro and Sudan’s Al-Hilal ended their match with the same 2-2 scoreline.
Ivory Coast’s Stade d’Abidjan in Command
In another fixture, Stade d’Abidjan from Côte d’Ivoire took a step towards qualification with a solid 2-0 win over Guinea’s Milo FC, placing them in a favorable position to advance to the group stage when the sides meet again in the second leg.
Return Leg Dates Set for September 20-22
The second-leg matches of the CAF Champions League preliminary round are scheduled to take place between September 20 and 22.
Friday, September 13 Results:
Enugu Rangers 1-0 Sagrada Esperanca
US Monastir 1-0 MC Alger
Saturday, September 14 Results:
Ethiopian Commercial Bank FC 0-1 Young Africans
Red Arrows 0-2 TP Mazembe
Al-Merreikh 2-2 AS FAR Rabat
Jwaneng Galaxy 0-2 Orlando Pirates
Maniema Union 2-1 Petro de Luanda
Joliba FC 1-0 ASKO Kara
Customs FC (Burkina Faso) 1-0 CR Belouizdad
Mbabane Swallows 0-4 Mamelodi Sundowns
Sunday, September 15 Results:
Gor Mahia 0-3 Al Ahly
Samartex 2-2 Raja Casablanca
San Pedro 2-2 Al-Hilal
Dekedaha 1-4 Esperance Tunis
Stade d’Abidjan 2-0 Milo FC
Source: CAF Online
