CAIRO— African giants Al-Ahly of Egypt stretched a record of not conceding in the CAF Champions League to 1080 minutes as the swept into the group stage.
Record 12-time winners of the premier African club competition, Ahly defeated Kenyan visitors Gor Mahia 3-0 in Cairo, the same scoreline by which they won the first leg for a 6-0 overall win.
The defending champions have not conceded in 12 matches since Young Africans snatched an added-time equaliser against them in Dar es Salaam last December.
That was the only goal the Cairo Red Devils conceded in winning the last edition and, having also lifted the Champions League in 2023, they are eyeing a historic hat-trick.
Ahly has won back-to-back titles three times, but even the great 2005-2008 team was unable to achieve three consecutive triumphs.
Trailing 3-0 from the first leg of the second round tie, Gor set out to avoid a hammering and contained Ahly for 22 minutes before Ramy Rabia scored with a looping head after a corner.
Wessam Abou Ali doubled the second-leg lead on 54 minutes and substitute Taher Mohamed netted in added time as Ahly cruised into the 16-club group stage, which kicks off in October.
Following their on-field triumph, the Cairo giants were honored in a memorable ceremony organized by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) at the Cairo International Stadium, celebrating their historic 44th Egyptian Premier League title.
Tunisian club Esperance, who lost a 2024 final against Ahly that was settled by a single goal, thumped Dekedaha of Somalia 8-0 to complete a 12-1 aggregate victory.
Algerian Youcef Belaili scored a hat-trick and Brazilian Yan Sasse and Gambian Kebba Sowe were also among the goals, with four coming in each half in Rades near Tunis.
Esperance fell short of winning a Champions League match by the widest margin, though. Difaa el Jadida of Morocco and Mamelodi Sundowns share the record with 10-goal victories in qualifiers.
Young Africans of Tanzania, considered title dark horses, were another side in top form, scoring three added-time goals to complete a 6-0 rout of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.
Burkina Faso international Stephane Aziz Ki claimed a hat-trick and Zambian Clatous Chama also scored for ‘Yanga’, who had built a 1-0 first-leg advantage.
Sundowns won 4-0 for the second time against Mbabane Swallows of Eswatini, who ceded home advantage in the first leg as their ground is unsuitable for the Champions League.
Fellow South African club Orlando Pirates left it late to edge Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana 1-0 in Soweto with Monnapule Saleng netting after 93 minutes to complete a 3-0 overall victory.
Forward Abderrahmane Meziane and goalkeeper Moustapha Zeghba played pivotal roles as Algerian club CR Belouizdad became the first qualifiers for the CAF Champions League group stage.
Meziane scored to give the home side a 1-0 second leg win over Douanes of Burkina Faso and Zeghba saved two penalty kicks in a shootout, which Belouizdad won 4-3 after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
The lone goal came after 35 minutes when Meziane latched on to a cross-field pass from Mohamed Azzi and slammed a low shot into the corner of the net.
After a 1-0 first-leg loss last weekend, France-born Belouizdad coach Corentin Martins made several changes, including giving new signing Khanyisa Mayo, a forward from South Africa, a debut.
Winning the second round qualifier earned the Algiers outfit a fifth consecutive appearance and sixth overall in the mini-league phase of the premier African club competition.
It also ensured Belouizdad will be at least $850 000 (€760 000) richer as that is the minimum prize money for the 16 qualifiers.
Douanes had hoped to become the first club from Burkina Faso to progress beyond the two-round qualifying phase.
Like all Burkinabe clubs they have been forced to play home matches at neutral venues for many seasons as there is no international-standard stadium in the country.
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