Pirates win, Al Ahly and Sundowns lose

Yesterday at 04:00 AM

The opening weekend of the new year produced a mixed bag of results in the CAF Champions League as Orlando PIrates maintained their unbeaten start in the group stages, while Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns tasted defeat for the first time.

In the only match to take place on Friday, defending champions Al Ahly were undone by a late goal in a 1-0 loss to CR Belouizdad at the Stade du 5 Juillet.

Naoufel Khacef struck in the 91st minute to keep the Reds’ quarter-final hopes alive as they closed within a point of the Egyptian giants in third place and a further one adrift of Group C leaders Orlando Pirates.

The Buccaneers continued to impress in Africa’s elite club competition after running out comfortable 3-0 victors over Stade d’Abidjan at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Relebohile Mofokeng opened the scoring on 22 minutes and second-half goals from Patrick Maswanganyi (50′) and Deon Hotto (85′) kept Pirates in pole position, with Les Yeyes still only having one point to show for the efforts in the group.

Young Africans breathed new life into their CAF Champions League campaign as they battled back from behind to beat TP Mazembe 3-1 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Alioune Faty’s 16th-minute penalty put the Ravens in front, but a brace from Clement Mzize (33′, 60′) and one from Stephane Aziz Ki (56′) swung the game in Yanga’s favour to lift them up to third place, one point behind MC Alger in Group A.

AS FAR remain unbeaten in Group B after they triumphed 2-0 over AS Maniema Union at the Honneur Stadium.

First-half goals from Khalid Ait Ouarkhane (12′) and Amine Zouhzouh (45+3′) took the Militarians three points clear of Mamelodi Sundowns in pole position, leaving the Green and Blacks without a win at the bottom of the group.

Bafana ba Style still have some work to do to secure a quarter-final berth after they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Raja Casablanca at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium.

Benaissa Benamar’s 45th-minute goal settled the contest as Sundowns finished the game with nine men following the dismissals of Bathusi Aubaas (40′) and Khuliso Mudau (90+5′), while Marouane Zila (80′) was sent off for the Green Eagles.

The Brazilians still occupy second position in Group B, three points behind AS FAR and one clear of Raja, who are third.

Then on Sunday, Al Hilal’s perfect record in Group A came to an end after they battled back from an early goal down to draw 1-1 with MC Alger at the Cheikha Ould Boidiya Stadium.

The visitors got off to a flying start when Soufiane Bayazid broke the deadlock on five minutes, but Jean Claude Girumugisha (78′) hit back for the Blue Wave to keep them five points clear of El Mouloudia in top spot.

Group D remains tightly contested after Pyramids secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over ES Tunis at the 30 June Stadium.

Mohamed Belaili’s 56th-minute goal appeared to give the Blood and Gold all three points, only for Mostafa Fathi to equalise on 90 minutes before Ibrahim Adel completed the comeback win three minutes later.

ES Tunis (1st) and Pyramids (2nd) are tied on seven points, two ahead of Sagrada Esperanca, who edged Djoliba 1-0 at the Estadio 11 de Novembro.

A solitary goal from Mussa (32′) handed Sacred Hope their first win in the group stages as they pulled three points clear of Djoliba.

CAF Champions League matchday 4 results:

Friday, January 3

CR Belouizdad 1-0 Al Ahly

Saturday, January 4

Young Africans 3-1 TP Mazembe

Orlando Pirates 3-0 Stade d’Abidjan

AS FAR 2-0 AS Maniema Union

Raja Casablanca 1-0 Mamelodi Sundowns

Sunday, January 5

Sagrada Esperanca 1-0 Djoliba

Pyramids 2-1 ES Tunis

Al Hilal 1-1 MC Alger