Connect with us

CAF Champions League

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: LOBI STARS SEEK REDEMPTION IN MOROCCO

blank

Published

on

BY APESIN ADEMOLA

Lobi Stars will step out at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah to see how well they can revive their hope of progressing to the quarterfinals of this season’s CAF Champions League. After only one win in three group matches, the Pride of Benue lie in third position, three points off the qualifying zone.

The devastating effects of their home defeat to tonight’s opponents Wydad Casablanca should ring in the ears of Solomon Ogbeide’s squad and spur them to get result in this all-important fixture.

After three matches, Lobi Stars have collected only three points as against six by log leaders Wydad and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Nigerian champions are poor travellers having lost all their away matches in the competition: 1-2 to Cameroon’s UMS de Loum in the premilinary round, 1-3 to Gor Mahia of Kenya in the first round and 0-1 to ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire on Matchday 2 of the group stage.

Advertisement

Given the poor run of Nigerian teams against north African opposition, this is a match to dread for Lobi Stars, who will however be buoyed by the return to action of left back Chidiebube Duru from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the first leg against Wydad.

Reflecting on that loss to their Moroccan guests in Enugu, Duru told Goal, “we have realised what we did wrong at home and are expecting a positive result in Casablanca because we have prepared very well for the game and have corrected the mistakes noticed in our last game with them.

“I am happy that I have overcome my injury worries and looking forward to helping my team against Wydad Casablanca. We do not expect an easy game and we are going to give our hosts a big push for the three points.”

In the other match of the group, ASEC Mimosas will strive to pay Mamelodi Sundowns in their own coins having lost the earlier game 1-3 in Johannesburg. 

Sundowns have been in Abidjan since Thursday to acclimatise and be adequately prepared for the task ahead. That gives them confidence that they will be the first team to score against Mimosas at home in this season’s Champions League.

Advertisement

In Group C, the re-entry of Ismaily has thrown up new challenges for the teams involved here. CAF announced earlier in the week that the Egyptian side won their appeal against their earlier expulsion from the competition on account of crowd troubles.

That restored Ismaily’s matches with DR Congo’s TP Mazembe and Club Africain of Tunisia with the latter now heading the group on superior goal difference over Algeria’s CS Constantine. Both clubs now have six points each as against three by Club Africain and none for Ismaily.

CAF is yet to announce when Ismaily’s outstanding matches will be played.

Meanwhile, Club Africain host Mazembe with the aim of winning their second match of the group stage and drawing level on points with their opponents and CS Constantine.

In Group B, title holders Espérance and Orlando Pirates go head-to-head in Tunis in a battle of the frontrunners. Both teams lead the other pair – Horoya and FC Platinum, who also face themselves – by two points.

Advertisement

Veteran title winners Al-Ahly are away to Simba in Dar-es-Salam and will stay on top of Group D if they avoid defeat to the team they walloped 5-0 in the first leg.

Vita Club, who travel to Algeria to face JS Saoura, queue behind Al-Ahly who are three points better.

Matchday 4 fixtures

Group A: 

  • Wydad Casablanca (Morocco) v Lobi Stars (Nigeria) (first leg Wydad Casablanca 1-0) (8pm)
  • ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire) v Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) (first leg Mamelodi Sundowns 3-1) (5pm)

Group B: 

  • Espérance (Tunisia) v Orlando Pirates (South Africa) (first leg 0-0)
  • Horoya (Guinea) v FC Platinum (Zimbabwe) (first leg Horoya 1-0) (both 2pm)

Group C: 

  • Club Africain (Tunisia) v TP Mazembe (DR Congo) (first leg TP Mazembe 8-0) (5pm)

Group D: 

  • Simba (Tanzania) v Al-Ahly (Egypt) (first leg Al-Ahly 5-0) (2pm)
  •  JS Saoura (Algeria) v AS Vita Club (DR Congo) (first leg 2-2) (8pm)

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

CAF Champions League

Pyramids claim maiden African Champions League title

blank

Published

on

blank

Egypt’s Pyramids claimed a deserved 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa. This led to a 3-2 aggregate success. They celebrated their first African Champions League title. This triumph occurred following the second leg of this year’s final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on Sunday.

The first leg in Pretoria finished 1-1. Fiston Mayele gave Pyramids the lead on 23 minutes. He profited from a Sundowns defensive error. Ahmed Samy doubled the advantage on 56 minutes. He scored with a header from a free-kick.

Sundowns pulled a goal back through Iqraam Rayners with 15 minutes remaining. One more goal would have given them victory in the tie on the away goals rule. However, Pyramids held firm despite heavy pressure from the visitors.

Pyramids are the fourth Egyptian side to lift the Champions League trophy after record 12-time winners Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily. Meanwhile, 2016 champions Sundowns head to this month’s Club World Cup in the United States on a low note.

-Reuters

Advertisement

  Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Continue Reading

CAF Champions League

CAF Champions League Final: Fact File on the Egyptian Pyramid

blank

Published

on

blank
blank
  1. 1. Pyramids aim to become the first new CAF Champions League winner since Sundowns (2016), the 13th in the modern era, and the 27th overall.
  • 2. This is the 19th Champions League-era final featuring an Egyptian club. Previous teams (Al Ahly 10, Zamalek 1) have won 11 titles.
  • 3. Including the pre-Champions League era, this is the 29th final for an Egyptian club, with 18 wins and 10 losses.
  • 4. Pyramids have played only 1 of their last 9 matches at home but are unbeaten in their last 23 home games this season (W19 D4) and last 28 overall (W24 D4).
  • 5. Pyramids scored in 22 of 23 home games this season; the only blank was a 0-0 draw vs Al Masry.
  • 6.This season, they’ve won all 7 home matches, scoring 26 and conceding 6, with one clean sheet. In total, they’ve lost just 1 of 11 home matches in the competition.
  • 7. Fiston Mayele leads with 8 goals in 12 matches (5 since group stage); Ibrahim Adel has 6 (also 5 post-group stage).
  • 8. Ramadan Sobhi has 5 assists in 9 games (joint-most), plus 2 goals. He’s had major impact off the bench twice.
  • 9. Askary Chibi has created 20 chances since the group stage — the most for Pyramids.
  1.  10. Pyramids have kept 3 clean sheets this season, all away, but remain dominant at home

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Continue Reading

CAF Champions League

CAF Champions League Final: Fact File on Mamelodi Sundowns

blank

Published

on

blank
blank
  1. 1. Sundowns are in their third CAF Champions League final (2001, 2016, 2024).
  • 2. South African Record: First South African club to reach three finals, surpassing Orlando Pirates (2).
  • 3. Sundowns hosted the first leg in all three finals. In 2001, they drew 1-1 at home and lost 2-0 away to Al Ahly.
  • 4. Sundowns beat Zamalek 3-0 at home, lost 1-0 away, and won 3-1 on aggregate.
  • 5. Sundowns have never scored in an away leg of a Champions League final, conceding five in total.
  • 6. The current final marks the second time Sundowns led at home and failed to win (also in 2001).
  • 7. A defeat would make Sundowns the first South African side to lose two finals.
  • 8. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 10 matches vs Egyptian opposition (4wins and 6 draws).
  • 9. Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 4 visits to Egypt (2 wins and 2 draws).
  1. 10. A win would make Sundowns the first team since Al Ahly (2012) to win the title after failing to win the home leg.

 Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Continue Reading

Most Viewed