CAF Champions League wrap, 14-16 December 2018

by Staff Reporter

Monday Dec 17, 2018. 09:15

The first round, first-leg matches in the 2018/19 CAF Champions League wrapped up on Sunday with impressive wins for the likes of AS Vita and Gor Mahia, while South African heavyweights Mamelodi Sundowns secured a valuable away draw.

The Brazilians, who won the competition in 2016, drew 0-0 away to Libyan side Al Ahli Benghazi in Cairo, while Vita and Mahia secured big home wins over Bantu of Lesotho (4-1) and Nigeria’s Lobi Stars (3-1) respectively.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Tunisia’s Club Africain overpowered Sudan’s Al Hilal 3-1 in Rades, while former champions TP Mazembe had to work hard for a 1-0 home win over Zambia’s Zesco United.

The round kicked off with three home North African victories on Friday: perennial contenders Al Ahly eased past Ethiopia’s Jimma Aba Jifar 2-0, Libya’s Al Nasr were impressive in downing Guinea’s Horoya 3-0 in Cairo, and Algeria’s Constantine edged Uganda’s Vipers 1-0.

Saturday’s headline result was a 1-0 away win for ASEC Mimosas over Stade Malien in a heavyweight West African derby, 2017 champions Wydad Casablanca defeated Senegal’s Diaraf 2-0 thanks to goals from William Jebor and Mohamed Nahiri, Nkana and JS Saoura claimed home wins over Simba and Ittihad Tanger respectively, and South Africa’s Orlando Pirates were held to a goalless draw in Soweto by Namibia’s African Stars.

The second-leg matches are scheduled to be played next weekend, 21-23 December. The aggregate winners will advance into the group stage, while the losers will ‘drop’ into the playoff round of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup.

CAF Champions League results, 14-16 December 2018

Friday 14 December

Al Ahly 2-0 Jimma Aba Jifar
Al Nasr 3-0 Horoya
CS Constantine 1-0 Vipers

Saturday 15 December

Nkana 2-1 Simba
Stade Malien 0-1 ASEC Mimosas
JS Saoura 2-0 Ittihad Tanger
Wydad Casablanca 2-0 ASC Diaraf
Orlando Pirates 0-0 African Stars

Sunday 16 December

Ismaily 2-0 Coton Sport
TP Mazembe 1-0 Zesco United
Al Ahly Benghazi 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Gor Mahia 3-1 Lobi Stars
AS Vita 4-1 Bantu
Club Africain 3-1 Al Hilal
AS Otoho 1-1 FC Platinum