Group stage of the 2021-22 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup unveiled

BECHAR, Algeria

Record three-time champions CS Sfaxien of Tunisia, 2020 champions RS Berkane of Morocco, Algeria’s JS Saoura and Zambia’s Zanaco qualified on Sunday to the Group stage of the 2021-22 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.

The quartet completed a 14-teams pack in the mini-league stage, with the last two seats to be determined between Al Ittihad (Libya) - Enyimba (Nigeria) and JS Kabylie (Algeria) – Royal Leopards (Eswatini).

In Bechar, Algeria’s JS Saoura produced an amazing comeback to beat Ghana’s Hearts of Oak 4-0 and reach the group stage winning 4-2 on aggregate.

After losing the first leg 2-0 in Accra last weekend, JS Saoura responded in style and took the lead after 21 minutes through Abdeldjalil Saad. Oussama Bellatreche doubled the hosts lead and canceled Hearts of Oak first leg win.

Bellatreche completed his brace three minutes after the break to give Saoura an aggregate lead, before Hamro Aziz put the game to bed two minutes from time.

Meanwhile in Bamako, Mali’s Binga couldn’t find a similar comeback, as they fell short to beat Zanaco 2-0, leaving the Zambians to reach the group stage winning 3-2 on aggregate.

Taking a 3-0 lead from the first leg, Zanaco kept their hosts at bay till the 80th minute when Youssouf Diallo gave Binga the lead.

The Malians had a penalty three minutes into injury time, and Youssou Coulibaly scored from the spot to reduce the deficit to a single goal. But it was still not enough as Zanaco reached the group stage winning 3-2 on aggregate.

In Sfax, three-time Confederation Cup champions CS Sfaxien needed a lone goal to beat Kenya’s Tusker and reach the group stage winning 1-0 on aggregate.

Aymen Harzi strike from the spot after 35 minutes was all what the Tunisians needed to win the game, as Tusker had Karlos Kirenge sent off for a second booking four minutes into second half stoppage time.

Tanzanian giants Simba SC, DR Congo heavyweights TP Mazembe and Congo Brazzaville’s AS Otoho have become the first three clubs to progress to the group stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup after picking favourable results from Sunday’s Second Additional Round second leg matches.

In Lusaka, Simba SC lost 2-1 to home side Red Arrows of Zambia on the day but still progressed with a 4-2 aggregate score having won the first leg 3-0 in Dar es Salaam.

Arrows came into the match needing a huge performance to overturn the first leg deficit and were rewarded at the end of the first half with the leading goal.

Ricky Banda broke the deadlock in the first minute of added time as the home side went to the break a goal up. They would double the tally and come to within touching distance of the aggregate score when Yussuf Saddam scored the second two minutes after the restart.

However, Simba resisted all efforts by Arrows to get a third and would set a huge relief for themselves when Hassan Dilunga halved the deficit in the 67th minute.

They kept the score till fulltime to reach the group phase.

In Nairobi, Otoho held Kenyan side Gor Mahia to a 1-1 draw and progressed on a 2-1 aggregate score.

Roland Oukuri who scored the lone goal in the 1-0 victor at home last weekend found the back of the net again, scoring the opener after 10 minutes, reacting quickest to tap home from close range after Faria Ondongo’s freekick was pushed to the bar by the Gor keeper.

K’Ogalo drew level two minutes later when John Macharia hammered a lose ball home from inside the area.

However, the Kenyan side could not score two more goals to turn the game in their favour, Otoho defending well to earn a group stage berth.

In South Africa, debutants Marumo Gallants could not overturn a slim 1-0 deficit from the first leg as they were held to a 0-0 draw by TP Mazembe who progressed with the all-important victory from Lubumbashi last Sunday.

Egypt’s duo Pyramids FC and Al Masry reached the 2021-22 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Group stage, after two home 1-0 wins in Cairo and Alexandria respectively on Sunday.

Meanwhile in Benghazi, there was penalty joy for Al Ahli Tripoli as they joined the group stage, beating Stade Malien on shootout.

In Cairo, Pyramids who reached the semifinals last season - after being losing finalists the season before - repeated their home 1-0 win over DR Congo AS Maniema Union to reach the group stage winning 2-0 on aggregate.

Ibrahim Adel scored the hosts only goal after 36 minutes, as Pyramids cruised to the group stage for the third time in as many CAF Interclub seasons since their debut in 2019-20.

In Alexandria, Al Masry needed to overturn their first leg 2-1 defeat to Nigeria’s Rivers United last weekend. And they did with the slightest of advantages.

Mohamed Abdel Lateef “Grendo” scored what proved to be the game’s lone goal after 14 minutes, to give Al Masry a 1-0 victory on the night, as they reached the group stage on away goals’ rule after a 2-2 aggregate draw.

Meanwhile in Benghazi, Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli reached the group stage on penalties, beating Mali’s Stade Malien 4-2 in the post-match penalty shootout

Mohamed Shtewi scored the game’s lone goal after 69 minutes, as Al Ahli Tripoli canceled their away loss with the same result last weekend in Bamako.

In the shootout, The Libyans prevailed 4-2 to reach the group stage amid wild celebrations from their few supporters in the stands.

Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire giants Coton Sport and ASEC Mimosas reached the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup group stage, as Niger’s US Gendarmerie Nationale rewrote history by being the second ever side from Niger and the first since 2010 to reach the mini league stage of a CAF competition.

Meanwhile Nigeria’s Enyimba achieved home win over Libya’s Al Ittihad, with the first leg being rescheduled to a date confirmed later.

In Luanda, ASEC Mimosas came to Angola leading 3-1 over GD Interclube from the home leg. They eased their nerves as early as the second minute when Serge Poku put them ahead to throw more pressure on the hosts.

Mano Luis restored parity for Interclube just three minutes later to give the hosts some hope. But all hopes were shattered when Kamir Konate (18) and Stephane Aziz Ki (34) made it 3-1 for ASEC before the break, as the Ivorians looked sure of their qualification.

Mano completed his brace with a second consolation goal for the hosts after 62 minutes, but without stopping ASEc from celebrating an aggregate 5-2 win.

Meanwhile in Douala, Souaibou Marou double was all that Coton Sport needed to defeat Mauritanian visitors FC Noaudhibou 2-0 to qualify on the same aggregate score.

Marou broke the deadlock after 22 minutes and doubled his side’s lead seven minutes later from the spot, as Coton reached the group stage of the competition they were semifinalists last season.

In Kinshasa, DC Motema Pembe needed to overturn their away 2-0 defeat last weekend in Niger. But they found it tough against a resolute USGN defense that kept them at bay till the Congolese scored the game’s lone goal 6 minutes from time.

US Gendarmerie Nationale 2-1 aggregate win means they are the second ever side from Niger to reach the group stage, after ASFAN who played the same stage of the Confederation Cup in 2010.

Meanwhile in Aba, Enyimba had the best of the home advantage, beating Libyan visitors Al Ittihad 2-0.

Sadiq Abubakar opened the scoring for The People’s Elephant after 21 minutes, with Victor Mbaoma doubling the lead at the 34th minute.

Al Ittihad ended the game with ten men after seeing one of their players sent off deep into the second half injury time. The return leg date will be confirmed later.