Heavyweights win through to Champions League group stage

by Graeme Jackson

Sunday Sep 22, 2024. 13:00

Africa’s football heavyweights all won through to the group stage of the 2024-25 CAF Champions League following a busy Saturday of second-round, second-leg qualifying matches across the continent.

TP Mazembe, defending champions Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Esperance de Tunis and Raja Casablanca all ensured that they will be present for the group stage of the top-tier continental competition, which will begin as early as next month.

DR Congo’s Mazembe defeated Red Arrows of Zambia 2-1 in Lubumbashi (courtesy of goals from Zemanga Soze and Ameka Autchanga) to secure a 4-1 aggregate triumph.

Another DRC team, AS Maniema Union, caused the only semblance of an upset through the day with their 0-0 draw away to Angola’s Petro Atletico, thus advancing 2-1 overall. Petro had reached at least the group stage of the Champions League for the last five seasons running, but will not be present in the final 16 this time around.

Sundowns and Pirates eased through with 4-0 (8-0 on aggregate) and 1-0 (3-0 on aggregate) home wins over Mbabane Swallows (Eswatini) and Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana) respectively to see two South African representatives in the group stage for the first time since the 2021-22 season (when it was ‘Downs and AmaZulu).

Undisputed Champions League kings Al Ahly made light work of Kenya’s Gor Mahia, winning 3-0 in Cairo thanks to strikes from Rami Rabia, Wessam Abou Ali and Taher Mohamed to secure a 6-0 overall triumph.

Young Africans of Tanzania blitzed Ethiopia Bank, winning 6-0 at Stade Amani in Bunia to progress 7-0 on aggregate, while Esperance de Tunis absolutely thrashed Somalia’s Dekedaha 8-0 (featuring a hat-trick from Youcef Belaili) in the Tunisian capital for a 12-1 overall triumph.

Egypt’s Pyramids had to work a lot harder, defeating Rwanda’s APR 3-1 in Cairo for a 4-2 overall triumph – in which they briefly flirted with an away-goal exit – and a tight all-North African affair between MC Alger and Tunisia’s US Monastir saw the former advance thanks to a 2-0 home win (2-1 on aggregate) in which both goals were scored in the final 20 minutes of the match.

Finally, Morocco’s Raja Casablanca made the most of home advantage against Ghana’s Samartex, winning 2-0 at home for a 4-2 aggregate triumph, as Marouane Zila and Naoufel Zerhouni found the back of the net.

The Champions League continues today, Sunday 22 September, with five matches across the continent: Sagrada Esperanca v Enugu Rangers, AS Kara v Djoliba AC, Milo FC v Stade Abidjan, FAR Rabat v Al Merrikh, and Al Hilal v San Pedro.

CAF Champions League results, Saturday 21 September

TP Mazembe 2-1 Red Arrows – Mazembe won 4-1 on aggregate

Petro Atletico 0-0 AS Maniema – Maniema won 2-1 on aggregate

Al Ahly 3-0 Gor Mahia – Ahly won 6-0 on aggregate

Mamelodi Sundowns 4-0 Mbabane Swallows – Sundowns won 8-0 on aggregate

Orlando Pirates 1-0 Jwaneng Galaxy – Pirates won 3-0 on aggregate

Young Africans 6-0 Ethiopia Bank – Yanga won 7-0 on aggregate

Esperance de Tunis 8-0 Dekedaha – Esperance won 12-1 on aggregate

Pyramids FC 3-1 APR – Pyramids won 4-2 on aggregate

MC Alger 2-0 US Monastir – Alger won 2-1 on aggregate

Raja Casablanca 2-0 Samartex – Raja won 4-2 on aggregate