KINSHASA – Egypt’s Pyramids FC defeated AS Maniema of DR Congo 1-0 in the first-leg of the CAF Confederation Cup playoff.
Palestinian striker Mahmoud Wadi scored the decisive goal in the 15th minute in Kinshasa.
The Egyptians, losing semi-finallists last season tournament will head back to Cairo with a slight advantage.
Elsewhere, Tanzania’s Simba SC and Zambia’s Zanaco handed themselves massive chances of progressing to the group stages of the Confederation Cup with 3-0 wins in the first-leg of the play-off round ties, cafonline reported..
In Dar es Salaam, Simba put the hurt of falling out of the Champions League with an emphatic home performance beating Zambia’s Red Arrows.
Bernard Morrison struck a goal in either half in between Meddie Kagere’s goal as Wekundu wa Msimbazi put one foot in the group phase. Morrison broke the deadlock in the 16th minute before Kagere doubled the tally three minutes later.
The Ghanaian forward would complete his brace 12 minutes to time to hand his side a comfortable victory. Arrows had to finish the match with 10 men after Prosper Chiluya was sent off for a straight red card in the 57th minute.
Meanwhile in Lusaka, home side Zanaco also put themselves firmly in control with a similar victory over Mali’s Binga. Abraham Siankombo gave the home side the lead after 37 minutes, one they guarded till half-time.
A Moses Phiri double in the second half scored in the 51st and 72nd minutes to give the bankers a comfortable win at home to defend when they travel for the return leg next weekend.
In Lubumbashi, home side TP Mazembe edged out South Africa’s Marumo Gallants by a solitary goal. Marumo skipper Lehlohonolo Nonyane scored in his own net in the first minute of added time in the first half.Nonyane made a huge deflection as he tried to cut out Soze Zemanga’s freekick.
The home side managed to hold on to the slim lead until full time and there will be all to play for when they travel to South Africa for the return tie.
In other results, Morocco’s RS Berkane played to a 0-0 draw away to Rwanda’s APR while three time champions CS Sfaxien also picked a similar result away to Kenyan champions Tusker FC.
Royal Leopards of Eswatini won 1-0 at home against Algeria’s JS Kabylie. Thabiso Mokenkoane scored the game’s lone goal.
Home wins for Otoho, Oak and Rivers
AS Otoho, Hearts of Oak and Rivers United all achieved slim wins on Sunday afternoon, as they managed to win at home for the first-leg of the CAF Confederation Cup Additional Second Preliminary Round.
Congolese AS Otoho took the upper hand over Kenyan visitors Gor Mahia, with Roland Okouri scoring the game’s lone goal, awaiting the second leg scheduled next weekend in Nairobi.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Hearts of Oak will travel to Algeria next week with a two-goal advantage. The Ghanaians won 2-0 in Accra over Algeria’s JS Saoura.
The Phobians took the lead thanks to Salifu Ibrahim before securing the win through Agyenim Boateng.
Nigeria’s Rivers United will take a slim advantage to Egypt after beating Al Masry 2-1 at home.
Rivers United scored through Malachi Ohawuma and Rabiu Kayode, while Mohamed Antar scored for Al Masry in-between.
ASEC, Stade Malien earn home victories
Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas, Mali’s Stade Malien and Niger US Gendermerie clinched home wins in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup Additional 2nd Preliminary Round while Orlando Pirates picked a vital 2-0 victory away from home.
At the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, ASEC pit in a brilliant second half fight to beat Angola’s Interclube 2-0 and put themselves firmly in control of the tie.
Karim Konate struck a second half brace to hand the home side victory after a goalless first half. Konate broke the deadlock three minutes after the break before he doubled the tally at the stroke of 90 minutes.
Heading into the return tie next weekend, any kind of draw will take the Ivorian outfit through.
At the Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia, South African giants Orlando Pirates picked a similar 2-0 victory over Liberian hosts LPRC Oilers.
Tshegofatso Mabasa and Fortune Makaringe scored a goal each in the extreme ends of either half to hand The Bucaneers an edge heading to the return leg in Johannesburg.
The home side would have taken the lead after 39 minutes off the penalty spot after a handball inside the box, but goalkeeper Ebenezer Solo who stepped up to take responsibility blasted his effort over.
They were immediately punished when Terrence Dzvukamanja put Mabasa through, the latter slotting the ball home with a minute left to halftime.
Oilers put in a fight to try get themselves back into contention in the second half, but they couldn’t get a goal to sway their energy back.
They were instead punished in the second minute of added time when Makaringe headed home from close range to all but surely seal the win for his side.
In Niger, home side Gendermarie also picked a 2-0 victory when they beat DC Motema Pembe of the DR Congo with goals in the 49th and 74 minutes.
In Bamako, Aly Sisoko scored the lone goal as Stade Malien beat Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli by a solitary goal. Elsewhere, Mauritania’s FC Nouadhibou were held to a goalless draw by Cotonsport of Cameroon.
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