The powerful duo of Tanzanian football, Simba SC and Young Africans, joined South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Tunisian champions Étoile du Sahel in achieving positive results from the first leg of their 2023-24 CAF Champions League second round duels on Saturday. Young Africans defeated Sudanese club Al-Merrikh by a 2-0 score in Rwanda while Simba fought back for a 2-2 draw in Zambia against Power Dynamos, giving both clubs two away goals for their second leg matches at home.
Yanga overcame Al-Merrikh after a scoreless first half with goals from Kennedy Musonda and Clement Mzizé providing the edge for the Dar es Salaam club. Al-Merrikh hosted their home leg in Kigali, Rwanda due to being unable to host in Sudan.
At the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola it was a familiar face for Zambian supporters who came back home to dampen the group stage hopes for Power Dynamos. Zambia national team attacker Clatous Chama scored twice in the second half including a second half stoppage time equalizer as Simba twice came back from deficits to draw Power Dynamos.
In Tunisia, Étoile have a slight advantage on Moroccan champions ASFAR Rabat following a 1-0 victory at home. Hamza jumped up to head in the only goal of the match in the second half for the Tunisia Ligue 1 Professionnelle champions who face a difficult test in Rabat for the second leg on September 30.
Mauritanian champions FC Nouadhibou have large ambitions and took a big step towards reaching the Champions League group stage for the first time in their history on Saturday. Two goals from Sidi Bouna Amar and another from Oumar Mangane gave Nouadhibou a 3-0 victory in Bamako over Mali’s Real Bamako. If Nouadhibou avoid a lopsided defeat in Mauritania on October 1, Le Club Orange will advance to the biggest stage they have ever played on in African club football.
Highlights from the matches involving the Tanzanian clubs and Étoile du Sahel are below following the list of scores from Saturday.
Scores
Al-Merrikh (Sudan) 0-2 Young Africans (Tanzania)
Power Dynamos (Zambia) 2-2 Simba SC (Tanzania)
Étoile du Sahel (Tunisia) 1-0 ASFAR Rabat (Morocco)
Real Bamako (Mali) 0-3 FC Nouadhibou (Mauritania)
Highlights
Al-Merrikh 0-2 Young Africans
Power Dynamos 2-2 Simba SC
Étoile du Sahel 1-0 ASFAR Rabat