Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Al Hilal Omdurman beat TP Mazembe in Group A Champions League tie
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Al Hilal Omdurman beat TP Mazembe in Group A Champions League tie

Al Hilal Omdurman achieved a significant 2-1 victory over TP Mazembe during their second Group A match in the CAF Champions League, held on Sunday night. (Photo TP Mazembe)

The match took place at the Stade Cheikha Ould Boïdiya in Mauritania, where Al Hilal showcase resilient and a commendable performance to preserve their perfect record in the group stage.

Al Hilal commenced the match with a strong offensive, earning a penalty in the 22nd minute after Alioune Faty committed a foul in the box.

Mohamed Abdelrahman expertly converted the penalty, giving Al Hilal an early advantage.

In response, TP Mazembe showcased their attacking capabilities, although they struggled with accuracy in the final third.

In the 64th minute, Oscar Tshikomb found the equalizer for Mazembe with an impressive long-range effort, rekindling hopes for the visiting team.

However, Al Hilal’s Jean Girumugisha made a decisive impact in the closing moments of the match. He delivered a remarkable strike from outside the box, successfully placing the ball in the bottom left corner and igniting celebrations among Al Hilal supporters.

Despite their commendable efforts, TP Mazembe experienced their first defeat of the group stage following a previous draw in their opening match.

With this win, Al Hilal leads Group A with six points from two matches, followed by MC Alger, who beat Young Africans 2-0 on Saturday. Mazembe has one point and Young Africans sit at the bottom after two losses.

Al Hilal will aim to maintain their momentum against MC Alger on Saturday, while Mazembe needs a strong performance against Young Africans to revive their campaign.

Josh Koroma scores Huddersfield Town winner to strengthen promotion chances
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Josh Koroma scores Huddersfield’s winner to strengthen promotion chances

Sierra Leone international Josh Koroma contributed significantly to Huddersfield’s victory over Mansfield Town, as the latter faced their fifth consecutive defeat in League One.

In his sixteenth appearance of the season, Koroma scored his sixth goal, helping Huddersfield ascend to fourth place in the league standings and secure a playoff spot.

The match began with Huddersfield taking an early lead in the eighth minute. Ben Wiles scored, finding the net off the inside of the near post after an impressive run and low cross from the left delivered by Josh Koroma.

Mansfield equalized in the 31st minute when Jacob Chapman parried a header from Aden Flint, stemming from an Aaron Lewis corner, which allowed Will Evans to strike the rebound into the goal.

However, the visitors quickly regained the lead within two minutes. Jose Koroma could chase down a long ball and skillfully directed his shot across Christy Pym, placing it into the far corner of the net.

In the last of four added minutes at the end of the first half, Mansfield nearly equalized again when George Maris struck the post with a low shot from 20 yards.

Mansfield experienced a moment of fortune when Tom Lees directed a close-range free header directly at Pym in the 51st minute, following a free-kick taken by Ben Wiles. Shortly thereafter, Mansfield came close to scoring again as Chapman made two swift saves from attempts by Keanu Baccus and Aaron Lewis.

In the 62nd minute, Flint prevented a goal by clearing a shot from Michal Helik off the line during a corner kick. As the match approached its conclusion, Lees inadvertently headed the ball against his own crossbar during the last of five added minutes. Despite mounting pressure from Mansfield, Huddersfield managed to secure their fourth consecutive victory.

Mimosas, Stellenbosch, Zamalek & Enyimba in CAF Confed ties this weekend
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mimosas, Stellenbosch, Zamalek & Enyimba in CAF Confed action this weekend

On Sunday, Stellenbosch will look to regain their winning form in the CAF Confederations Cup, while ASEC Mimosas aims for consecutive victories over Orapa United.

In Group D, the reigning CAF Confederations Cup champions, Zamalek, will face the Nigerian side Enyimba at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Zamalek commenced their CAF Confederations Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over the Black Bulls at the Cairo International Stadium on November 27.

Currently, they hold 2nd place in Group D, with Al Masry leading the group after the first matchday. Al Masry is set to compete against Black Bulls at Estadio do Zimpeto.

Additionally, Stellenbosch FC will strive to bounce back when they compete against the Moroccan team RSB Berkane at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Stellenbosch experienced a 2-0 defeat to Stade Malien in their previous match, while RSB Berkane opened their CAF Confederations Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Lunda Sul two weeks ago.

Furthermore, ASEC Mimosas has the opportunity to secure a second consecutive victory as they take on Orapa United at the Francistown Stadium on Sunday.

ASEC Mimosas currently occupies 2nd position in Group C following their 2-0 win against Jaraaf on November 27, while USM Alger, in 1st place, is scheduled to face Jaraaf at Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade on Sunday evening.

Fixtures Sunday, 8 December

Group A

CS Constantine vs Simba
Bravos do Maquis vs CS Sfaxien

Group B

Stellenbosch vs RSB Berkane
Lunda Sul vs Stade Malien

Group C

Orapa United vs ASEC
Jaraaf vs USM Alger

Group D

Black Bulls vs Al Masry
Enyimba vs Zamalek

Sundowns played to a draw as Yanga suffered their second defeat
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sundowns played to a draw as Yanga suffered their second defeat

AS FAR demonstrated resilience on Saturday evening, securing a draw against former champions Mamelodi Sundowns in a CAF Champions League Group B match at Stade Ben Ahmed El Abd in El Jadida.

Iqraam Rayners gave Sundowns the lead with a goal in the 66th minute, but home captain Mohammed Hrimat equalized just eight minutes later, ensuring AS FAR remained at the top of the group with Sundowns in second place.

The match featured contrasting halves, with AS FAR initially dominating and Sundowns struggling to find their rhythm. After halftime, Sundowns improved, with Rayners scoring from a precise pass by goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. However, an error by Williams allowed Hrimat to score into an empty net.

Meanwhile, in Group A, Young Africans suffered a second consecutive defeat, losing 2-0 to MC Alger at Stade du 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers, following a similar loss to Al-Hilal.

Ayoub Abdellaoui and Soufiane Bayazid secured the victory for MC Alger, momentarily placing them at the top of the group ahead of the upcoming match between Al Hilal and Mazembe.

MC Alger coach Patrice Beaumelle eyes win over Young Africans
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

MC Alger coach Patrice Beaumelle eyes win over Young Africans

MC Alger coach Patrice Beaumelle aims to win against Tanzania’s Young Africans (Yanga) in their CAF Champions League match on Saturday, December 7, at Stade du 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers.

Beaumelle stressed the importance of this game for their chances of qualifying. “We need to win to improve our chances,” he said. MC Alger is coming off a 0-0 draw against TP Mazembe and hopes to capitalize on their home advantage.

He acknowledged Young Africans as a strong team with experienced players, despite their recent 2-0 loss to Al Hilal Omdurman. “Their loss doesn’t show their true ability; we need to be at our best,” he cautioned.

The match starts at 19:00 GMT, and a win would be crucial for MC Alger’s progress in Group A.

Group A is competitive, with Al Hilal leading after their first win. TP Mazembe is tied with MC Alger on one point, while Young Africans seek their first points.