Mamelodi lost 1-2 to Esperance, another 90 minute goal allowed, they've been doing this for few weeks now. Two home matches, one point. They are in trouble. CAPS got trashed 2-4 against Al-Ahli Tripoli, it was 0-4 few minutes before end. USMA completed magnificent day for away teams with first ever win at Egyptian soil, 0-1 at Zamalek.
Yes sundowns have been in poor form lately but it's honestly due to exhaustion. They have a quality squad but have a roster of injuries that is beyond believable. Yesterday's they had no attacking player on their bench and suffered another injury mid game. It was a boring game though with typical Tunisians playing not to loose. It looked destined for a draw but sundowns conceded a needless penalty. Now they will welcome a two week break which will give Thierry players time to finally rest and gain back some players. Sundowns will win in Tunis for sure. Caps United got owned which was very disappointing. Last I checked USMA and Zamalek drew with a goal in the 90th minute.
LOL, I was waiting home team to score, but gave up at around 87, 88 minute, like no way they score. Shame for USMA though.
Saint George is yet to concede. Four preliminary matches and three group matches, 9-0 goal-differential. Amazing. They recorded their first group stage win today and that surely means AS Vita is out, just like Cotonsport in the other group as both are only teams without points. At the half mark, playoff bracket looks like this: Etoile - USMA (winner plays) Esperance - Zanaco Zamalek - Ferroviario (winner plays) Al-Ahly - Saint George In the Confederation Cup only team without points is Mounana. Every other team is in chance to qualify.
Return legs are scheduled for today and tomorrow. Wydad hosts Al-Ahly at 1:00 AM CET today, I don't remember African game so late. It's Wydad's must win game. Al-Ahly seals QF spot with win, same goes for Esperance against Mamelodi tomorrow.
Sundowns beat St George 1-0 in Addis Ababa and Epserance came from one goal down to draw with As Vita in Kinshasa 2-2. Thus after matchday 5 Esperance top the Group with 9 points and Sundowns in second with 8 points and this both teams qualify to the quarter finals (Caf uses head to head rules making St George unable to qualify due to their loss to Sundowns)
As group pairs with group D, it would be fun to watch last matchday, #1 will surely face Al-Ahly who, if win against 0-0-5 record Cotonsport, qualifies as #2 (can't finish as #1 so will face Group C winner). Also in Group A, eliminated Al-Hilal will face Ferroviario who looks to win and go to next stage in front of Al-Hilal's arch enemy Al-Merrikh. It should be fun.
Zambian side Zanaco look set to win group D as they sit pretty at the top with 11 points from 5 games, Wydad Casablanca with 9, Al Ahly with 8 and Cotton Sport with 0 after losing all their games.
CAPS United crushed Zamalek 3-1 to leave the Egyptians on the cusp of elimination. This leaves group B with USM Alger on top with 8 points tied with Al Ahly Tripoli on the same amount of points in second. CAPS united are 3rd with 6 points. Lastly Zamalek are on 5 points at the bottom.
Final rounds: GROUP A: Al-Merreikh (7 pts) and Ferrovario (5 pts) are both away, but the Sudanese are away at group winner Etoile, while Ferrovario in bottom of the table Al-Hilal... We could yet have both Sudanese teams eliminated. GROUP B: Zamalek (5 pts) host Al Ahli Tripoli (8 pts), while USM Alger (8 pts) host CAPS United (6 pts). Everyone still with a good chance. But USM Alger will likely win the group, unless CAPS pull off an away upset. Second team will be winner of Zamalek vs Al Ahli... GROUP C: Esperance and Mamelodi both qualify. Probably in that order. GROUP D: Zanaco with 11 pts lead into the final round, but there position is very precarious. Al Ahly with 8 pts will likely win at home vs Coton Sport (0 pts), so would leapfrog over Zanaco if they lose to Wydad. Zanaco therefore need to at least draw vs Wydad away from home.
Both Sudanese clubs are eliminated because http://www.fifa.com/governance/news...pends-sudan-football-association-2900598.html is titled "FIFA suspends Sudan Football Association."
Big news! The Bureau of the FIFA Council have suspended the Sudan Football Association which has subsequently meant that all of the country’s three representatives in CAF competitions El Hilal, El Merreikh (Champions League) and Al Hilal Obeid (Confederation Cup) are immediately thrown out as well. According to CAF, “In accordance with Article 13 of the FIFA Statutes, the SFA loses all its membership rights, and its representatives and club teams are no longer entitled to take part in international competitions until the suspension is lifted.” Ferroviario will now walk into the last eight as the second best team and will play the Group B winners next. They Join Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the quarter finals and Southern Africa is still facing the incredible prospect of having four teams in the quarter-finals with ZANACO and CAPS United also both still in with a chance. The disqualification of Al Hilal Obeid from the Confederation Cup guarantees ZESCO United of qualification to the quarter-finals from Group C. Angolan club Recreativo do Libolo will join the fray from that group if they avoid defeat at home against Smouha from Egypt. SuperSport United is the other COSAFA region team that also stands a chance of qualifying for the last eight in the Confederation Cup and need to overcome CF Mounana with the hope that the game between TP Mazembe and AC Horoya produces a winner or a low scoring draw. So it could be an incredible seven COSAFA region clubs out of the 16 that reach the quarter-finals of both of CAF’s club competitions.
Wow, so Ferroviario qualifies to quarter-final in their debut continental campaign while they find themselves in relegation battle in domestic league. Though they are three games behind rest of teams.
So group stage ended today. Zamalek, last year's finalist, is out after 2-2 against Libyan Al-Ahli, who goes through. Champions League quarterfinals Etoile du Sahel (TUN) - Al-Ahli Tripoli (LBY) Esperance de Tunis (TUN) - Al-Ahly (EGY) duel of two most successful teams in CL history USM (ALG) - Ferroviario Beira (MOZ) WAC (MAR) - Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) Esperance is the first team to finish undefeated in group stage on three occasions. Coton Sport is the second team to finish group stage without a point (first one was Costa do Sol of Mozambique in 1997). Confederation Cup quarterfinals Club Africain (TUN) - MC Alger (ALG) ZESCO (ZAM) - SuperSport (RSA) Sfaxien (TUN) - FUS (MAR) TP Mazembe (DRC) - Recreativo do Libolo (ANG) All of Tunisian teams are still in the competition. South Africa, Algeria and Morocco with two teams left.
I'm not sure about the Esperance vs Al Ahly tie as the two most successful teams. Epserance have only won the Champions League twice while other teams like TP Mazember and Zamalek have won 5 times each. Unless you mean two most successful teams left in the completion. That makes more sense
Shame Zanaco dropped out. BTW They got a bull red card against them. It was Gassama. He is not having a good month... From being one of the most respected refs in Africa to becoming eponymous with everything wrong with African refereeing in the space of 30 days.
I meant on CL era considering all facts, not only titles. Should've been "era" instead of "history". Some of Esperance records: 10X group winners - record 10X advanced past group stage - record 14X part of group stage - record shared with Al-Ahly 3X undefeated through group stage - record
Haha as much as I see the point you're making I just think that such records don't mean much if you only have two titles to show for all that. TP mazembe have 3 titles in the current era and Enyimba have two. Epserance are a good and consistent team but definitely not in the top two most successful teams
You have a point about Gassama. He has been very shady lately. I guess even refs lose form After that card Zanaco had no hope.
Besides the calander changes to Caf competitions and increase in teams in the AFCON, it's now rumoured that South Africa and Egypt will be awarded 4 teams each in the champions league starting from next season. SAFA president Danny Jordaan said: "As you can see for both Egypt and South Africa they [Caf] have allocated four places in the Champions League and that is on the basis that these teams are strong‚ thriving and truly professional teams," I think it's also speculated that the group stage will be like the UEFA champions league with 32 teams.
But the move is honestly based on financial purposes. Having 4 teams from those countries will dramatically increase tv revenue as the most popular teams on the continent come from those countries. They have probably also noted how much money they make when South African and Egyptians teams play each other. These teams are massively supported even outside the boarders of their own countries. Not forgetting the quality of SA and Egyptian teams. I think they should add Tunisia , DRC and Algeria to the countries with 4 teams but the quality of the way their leagues are run and how much money can be generated by the teams from those countries remains questionable. So I think its wise for Caf to hold out on that for a while.
Algeria also awarded 4 teams and DRC get 3... Criteria mentioned by SAFA president Danny Jordan are : - performance in CAF competitions - commercial strength of the leagues of those nations - forgot the last one lol But basically it's revenue driven.