Defending champions Al-Ahly of Egypt clinched the remaining quarter-final slot in the CAF Champions League after edging out Al-Hilal of Sudan by a solitary goal at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo.
Al-Ahly and Hilal were battling for the only available last eight slot, with the other seven having already been decided in the penultimate round of group stage matches.
Hussein el-Shahat stepped off the bench to score the winner for the Red Devils, though a draw would still have been enough to sail Pitso Mosimane’s side into the last eight.
The victory saw Ahly finish second in Group A with 10 points from three wins and a draw, six points behind group leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
Hilal needed a win to shock the defending champions out, but were made to play behind their halfway line for most of the game. The opening half had chances, but none could breach into a goal.
In the second half, the tempo of the game picked up, and it was Hilal who had the first few golden chances. In the 70th minute, Eid Mugadam almost scored for Hilal off a counter, but his snap shot on the counter flew just over.
Centre back Mohamed Ouatara almost scored for the visitors with a header off a corner, but his effort went just over into the bar.
With the alarm sounds ringing on Ahly, they got their goal in the 73rd minute when El-Shahat finished off inside the box after being picked out by a good pass from Ahmed Abdelkader on the left.
Ahly had two more chances, El-Shahat failing to hit the back of the net with the keeper off his line after curling wide, while substitute Luis Miqquisone blasted a shot wide from the left just a minute after coming on.
Wydad, Esperance win to secure top spots
Already qualified Wydad Athletic Club and Esperance secured wins on the final day of group stage action to secure top spots in their respective groups.
The two sides ensured they enter Tuesday’s draw as top seeds with morale boosting wins.
Wydad Athletic 5-1 Petro de Luanda
Moroccan outfit Wydad took advantage of a rocking Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca to thrash Petro, who had already also qualified, to finish top of Group D with a five-goal performance.
Coming just days after Morocco had beaten DR Congo 4-1 at the same venue to seal World Cup qualification, Wydad picked the same cue for yet another emphatic piece of victory.
Juvhel Tsoumou gave the Moroccans the lead in the 11th minute of the match when he rose highest inside the box to nod home a corner from Red Jaadi.
A minute to the half hour mark, the Moroccan side was comfortably cruising at 2-0 when Achraf Dari finished off unconventionally off his shoulder, rising to meet a cross from Aymane El Hassouni.
Three minutes later, Wydad who were in total control of proceedings strolled into a comfortable 3-0 lead when Zouheir el-Moutaraji added on to the goal scoring chart with a clever finish, beating the keeper with a little feign before slamming the ball home.
The home side went to the break with a comfortable 3-0 lead, with erstwhile undefeated Petro stunned.
In the second half, Wydad didn’t show signs of letting off and in the 56th minute, El-Hassouni got himself on the score sheet as well when his deflected shot inside the box trickled inside the net.
Petro pulled one back in the 63rd minute when central defender Pedro Pinto headed home from close range after Yano recycled the ball into the box from a setpiece.
But the home side all but sealed the victory in style in the 71st minute through Muaid Ellafi’s filthy dink after the forward had raced on to a brilliant through ball from El-Moutaraji.
The win sees Wydad finish off the group with 15 points, four ahead of Petro.
Esperance 2-1 CR Belouizdad
At the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Rades, home side Esperance also ensured top spot in Group C with a 2-1 win over Algerian side CR Belouizdad.
The home side came from behind to secure the win, moving to 14 points top of the standings while Belouizdad remained second with 11, both sides having already qualified.
Houssem Mrezigue had given the visitors a shock second minute lead, but Esperance gathered themselves together and drew level in the 13th minute when Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida finished off a pass from Anayo Iwuala.
Four minutes later, the Nigerian Iwuala would score the second and what would be the winning goal, as the Tunisian side preserved the lead to the end.
