The weekend saw the 2021-22 CAF Champions League play out the first legs in the preliminary round featuring matchups all over the continent. The most notable results involved Algeria’s representatives suffering surprise defeats on the road with work to do in the return legs at home. Recent league champions and quarterfinalists in last season’s CAFCL, CR Belouizdad, lost 1-0 to Nigerian champions Akwa United on Sunday with a late winner from Friday Ubong making the difference in an even match. Ubong’s goal came with less than ten minutes remaining as his well struck effort from outside the box just snuck past the CRB keeper.
While CRB will still remain confident of progressing in the second leg at home, Algerian runners-up ES Sétif have all sorts of work to do. ESS suffered a 3-0 first leg defeat to Gambian champions Fortune FC in the most stunning result from the preliminary round first leg matchups. The Independence Stadium in Bakau was in a festive mood and the hosts provided the fans with a memorable result, but Fortune will need to stay sharp when they go to Algeria for the second leg to hold on and complete the surprise result.
Below are the full list of scores as well as highlights from selected first leg ties over the weekend, including Burkinabé legend Alain Traoré’s sublime free kick for Djiboutian side AS Arta Solar in their draw against Kenya’s Tusker FC. Another excellent result for Nigerian domestic football saw Rivers United pull off a 1-0 road victory over Tanzanian runners-up Young Africans as well.
Express FC (Uganda) 2-1 Al Merrikh (Sudan)
AmaZulu (South Africa) 0-1 Big Bullets (Malawi)
UD Songo (Mozambique) 1-0 Otoho d’Oyo (Republic of Congo)
Royal Leopards (Eswatini) 1-0 ZESCO United (Zambia)
Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana) 2-0 Diplomates (Central African Republic)
Sagrada (Angola) 0-0 FC Platinum (Zimbabwe)
AS Arta (Djibouti) 1-1 Tusker FC (Kenya)
Bouenguidi (Gabon) 1-1 AS Maniema Union (DR Congo)
AS SONABEL (Burkina Faso) 0-1 Stade Malien (Mali)
US Gendarmerie (Niger) 1-0 Le Messager Ngozi (Burundi)
FC Loto (Benin) 1-1 FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
Fortune FC (Gambia) 3-0 ES Sétif (Algeria)
Teungueth (Senegal) 0-1 ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)
Mogadishu City (Somalia) 0-0 APR (Rwanda)
Fasil Ketema (Ethiopia) 2-2 Al Hilal Omdurman (Sudan)
Akwa United (Nigeria) 1-0 CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
Young Africans (Tanzania) 0-1 Rivers United (Nigeria)
KMKM (Zanzibar) 0-2 Al-Ittihad (Libya)
Akonangui (Equatorial Guinea) 0-2 Zanaco (Zambia)
Fovu Baham (Cameroon) 2-2 Petro Atletico (Angola)
LPRC Oilers (Liberia) 3-0 ASKO Kara (Togo)
Fortune FC (Gambia) 3-0 ES Sétif (Algeria)
Akwa United (Nigeria) 1-0 CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
Teungueth (Senegal) 0-1 ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast)
Young Africans (Tanzania) 0-1 Rivers United (Nigeria)
AS Arta (Djibouti) 1-1 Tusker FC (Kenya)
