The curtains will close on the group phase of the 2021-22 CAF Champions League, with 99 per cent of the teams progressing to the quarter-finals already decided.
While most battles will centre on who finishes top of the group, all eyes will be on the Al-Ahly vs Al-Hilal match at Cairo International Stadium on Sunday, with one of the two sides set to complete the roster for the quarter-finals.
CAFOnline.com previews the fixtures:
Group A
Mamelodi Sundowns is already assured of qualification and top spot in this group, and there match against Al-Merrikh will only be a formality and a target to ensure they finish the group phase unbeaten.
The focus though will be on defending champions Al-Ahly of Egypt who will take on Al-Hilal in Cairo on Sunday with a place in the quarters at stake. The Red Devils are second in the group with seven points, three ahead of Hilal.
They just need a draw to progress. Hilal on the other hand need a win to go through as they will edge out the holders on head to head record, having drawn 0-0 when they played in the first leg in Omdurman.
Ahly will be without defender Mohamed Abdelmonem who picked up an injury that required surgery on international duty while playing for Egypt against Senegal in the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup.
Zamalek, Etoile wrap up disappointing campaign
Former winners Zamalek and Etoile du Sahel played their final matches in the CAF Champions League campaign Friday.
Zamalek ended their disappointing Group D campaign with a 0-0 draw against Angolan side Sagrada Esperança at the Cairo International Stadium in Cairo.
Therefore, the Egyptian giants, who are five-time African champions, finished third in the group standings having failed to record a single win.
Zamalek’s hopes of reaching the quarterfinals had already ended coming into this encounter, while Esperança finished fourth on the table.
Meanwhile, Etoile du Sahel edged out Botswana side Jwaneng Galaxy in a five-goal thriller as they emerged 3-2 winners at the Stade Hammadi Agrebi in Tunis.
Vinny Kombe, Baligh Jemmali and Yassine Amri all scored for Etoile, who won the 2007 Champions League title, and the Tunisian giants finished third in Group C.
Gilbert Baruti hit the back of the net twice for Galaxy who finished fourth on the standings in what was their debut season in the group stage.
Lastly, Horoya AC was held to a 1-1 draw by AmaZulu FC in their final CAF Champions League Group B match at the General Lansana Conte Stadium in Conakry.
The result saw the Guinean champions finish their group stage campaign in fourth – three points behind third-placed AmaZulu with both teams having been eliminated from the tournament.
HAC looked to grab an early goal in the opening exchanges with Dramane Nikiema looking lively having become a constant threat to Usuthu’s defence.
Nikiema should have handed the hosts the lead when Boniface Haba’s low cross found him unmarked inside AmaZulu’s box, but somehow the 33-year-old miscued the ball.
However, Nikiema made amends on the stroke of half time when he scored with a curling shot from outside the visitors’ box – beating goalkeeper Jean-Noel Amonome to give Horoya a 1-0 lead at the interval.
Usuthu pressed the HAC defence after the restart and their early pressure paid off as parity was restored seven minutes into the second half.
Thabo Qalinge’s low cross from the right was deflected into the back of the net by Salif Coulibaly, who netted an own goal to make it 1-1 with keeper Moussa Camara well-beaten.
It was then end-to-end stuff as both teams launched attacks in search of more goals and Qalinge, who was able to get himself into goalscoring positions, had two great chances to score.
However, the former Orlando Pirates attacking midfielder was fantastically denied by Moussa Camara, who produced a double save to deny Qalinge from close range.
The last chance of the game fell for Sandile Khumalo in stoppage time, but the unmarked defender failed to keep his header on target from Qalinge’s corner-kick and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
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