Egyptian club Pyramids FC kept their CAF Confederation Cup run perfect after picking up a 1-0 win over Tunisian side CS Sfaxien in Group A in Cairo.
Egypt’s Al-Masry fell 1-0 away to Group C debutants Otoho Oyo of Congo, whose late winner from Roland Okouri saw the Congo Brazzaville side climb from last place to second.
Pyramids keep unbeaten run in Group A
Pyramids, runners-up and semi-finallists in the last two editions, stretched a winning streak in qualifying and group matches to six by stunning Tunisian visitors CS Sfaxien 1-0.
The only goal of the Group A showdown came in the third minute of added time from Ali Gabr, the former West Bromwich Albion centre-back.
Pyramids lead by three points from Al-Ahli Tripoli of Libya, who also relied on defenders for goals with centre-back Ahmed el-Trbi and full-back Mohamed el Monir netting in a 2-0 win over Zanaco from Zambia.
The 2019-20 losing finalists have so far picked successive wins, having beaten Al-Ahli Tripoli 2-1 in their opening match of the group phase and defeated Zanaco of Zambia 2-0 last week.
They now sit top of Group A with nine points, six ahead of second placed Ahli Tripoli who have three points from two matches.
The home side was off to a good start at the June 30 Stadium in Cairo, dominating the chances. Ibrahim Adel twice came close in the 18th and 28th minutes while Abdallah Essaiad had a chance after 32 minutes, but neither could get the ball in the net.
In the second-half, the Egyptians continued to press high up the pitch with Fagrie Lakay having a shot that was deflected wide.
They were finally rewarded in the third minute of added time when Ali Gabr’s intended cross swivelled not the net to hand the home side maximum points against a resilient Sfaxien.
Otoho strike late to down Masry in Group C
Roland Okouri scored with three minutes of regulation time left as AS Otoho d’Oyo beat Egypt’s Al-Masry 1-0 to move to second in Group C.
Otoho who drew 1-1 against Cotonsport last weekend picked up their maiden group stage win to move to four points, two behind leaders TP Mazembe who earlier on had beaten the Cameroonians 1-0 in Lubumbashi.
The home side had a huge chunk of the chances in either half and was more determined to walk away with the three points.
They had an early chance but Moise saw his freekick beautifully tipped over for a corner by Masry keeper Ahmed Massoud. Minutes later, he tried his luck with a long range effort that dragged inches wide off target.
Malian midfielder Mamadou Cisse also had a chance but his header after being set up by Souleymane Sakande came off the side netting. Towards the break, burly forward Kader Bidimbou forced the keeper to a good save with a close range header off a corner.
Masry had the lion’s share of possession in the entire half, but couldn’t convert the amount of time they had on the ball to chances in goal.
In the second half, the home side kept their chase and Bidimbou had a superb opportunity to break the deadlock when a cross from the right found him unmarked inside the box, but his effort was wide.
Masry almost punished them for that missed chance when Mohamed Grendo delivered a freekick into the box but Amr Marei’s slight touch took it against the crossbar. Yassr Hamed picked the rebound, but he also saw his effort blocked by the keeper.
Otoho kept their offensive shape and they were rewarded in the 87th minute when Okouri slid in a diving header beyond the keeper, rushing to meet a cross from Faria Ondongo.
They managed to guard the slim lead and pick victory at home.
The result saw Masry drop to third in the group with four points as well.
Mazembe hits Cotonsport to move top of Group C
Congolese giants TP Mazembe beat Cameroon’s Cotonsport 1-0 in Lubumbashi to move top of Group C after three rounds of matches.
Glody Likonza scored the lone goal of the match late on with four minutes of regulation time to play as Mazembe soared to six points after two wins and a loss.
They bounced back to winning ways after suffering defeat away to Egyptian side Al Masry in their last match last weekend.
The Congolese side had been under pressure to ensure they pick points at home to keep their hunt for a quarter final place alive.
They were dominant from the start and pinned the Cameroonian opponents into their own half. Mazembe came close after 13 minutes but Jephte Kitambala saw his well struck effort miss the target by a whisker.
A minute on the turn, the visitors had a chance but Brawdon Eno saw his shot deflected for a corner.
Mazembe raised the tempo in the second half and were pushed on by the home crowd which got behind their every effort.
They had a chance in the 32nd minute, Kitambala once again coming close but his shot was saved by the keeper.
They kept hunting in the Cotonsport half and finally they were rewaded in the 86th minute when Likonza finished off a beautiful team play to hand his side the lead.
They managed to hold on to the slim advantage till the final whistle to ensure the points remained at home.
Ittihad, JS Saoura share spoils in Group B
Libya’s Al-Ittihad and JS Saoura of Algeria played out to a 1-1 draw in their third Group B match.
The result in Benghazi sees both sides move to four points, though Saoura has played three matches, drawing one, losing one and winning one while Ittihad were playing their second group stage match.
They started off their campaign last weekend with a 3-2 home win against Orlando Pirates.
The Algerian side was faster off the blocks and Lahmeri twice came close in the 17th and 21st minutes, but he could not find the target.
For those close chances, they were punished in the 22nd minute when Ittihad opened the scoring through Mohamed Zubya.
But Saoura wouldn’t wait for long before they drew back level, Mohamed Ouis finding the back of the net on the half hour mark off a Lahmeri assist.
In the second half, the close contest continued and still, it was Saoura who had more close opportunities to score. However, Belaid Hamidi and Adel Bouchiba couldn’t find the target.
Pirates thrash Leopards in Group B
Orlando Pirates came from two goals down to thrash eSwatini’s Royal Leopards 6-2 in Manzini and storm top of Group B.
The Bucaneers found themselves with a two goal deficit after seven minutes of the game, but an own goal after 20minutes started off the comeback for the South African giants.
The victory was Pirates’ second in the group and it takes them to six points, two ahead of second placed JS Saoura who earlier on drew 1-1 with Al-Ittihad of Libya in Benghazi. Pirates have lost once, their away trip to Libya last weekend coming off with a 3-2 defeat.
n Manzini, the South African giants were stunned going 2-0 down after just seven minutes. Mzwandile Mabelesa gave Leopards the lead after five minutes with a shot from inside the box that ricocheted off a forest of bodies in the box before going in.
Two minutes later, Thabiso Mokenkoane made it 2-0 for the home side when he scored a looping header from a Maseko Mancoba cross.
Pirates were stunned, but kept their composure. They halved the deficit in the 20th minute when Machawe Dlamini scored into his own net as he tried to cut out a cross from the left.
The visitors grew in confidence and in the 38th minute, they were level after Bandile Shandu calmly controlled a beautiful pass from Dean Hotto before slotting home.
They went to the break 3-2 up when Hotto played provider again, this time floating an inviting cross that was headed home by Kwame Peprah unmarked inside the box.
In the second half, they did not relent on their pressure and in the 57th minute they were 4-2 up when Happy Jele got on the scoresheet with an angled header inside the box.
Three minutes later, they scored the fifth goal, this time Kabelo Dlamini calmly controlling Thembinkosi Lorch’s pass before shooting low into the bottom right.
Pirates completed the rout in the 80th minute, substitute Terrence Dzvukamanja picking Peprah’s through ball before calmly slotting it past the keeper.
While Pirates moved top of the pile, Leopards’ hopes of a historic qualification to the last eight now hangs by a thin thread after back to back defeats that leave them bottom of the pile with no point.
