Espérance de Tunis and Mamelodi Sundowns Advance as CAF Champions League Reaches Crucial Stage
Following the fifth round of the CAF Champions League group stage, two teams have secured their spots in the quarterfinals: Espérance de Tunis and Mamelodi Sundowns. With one matchday remaining, the rest of the qualifiers will be decided next weekend, promising an exciting conclusion to the group phase.
In Group B, defending champions Espérance de Tunis confirmed their dominance with a 2-0 home victory over Horoya AC. The Tunisian side opened the scoring through an own goal by Malian defender Marius Assoko in the 24th minute, before Cameroonian forward Franck Kom sealed the win in the 83rd minute. The victory guarantees Espérance a place in the last eight, extending their impressive record in the competition. Although Horoya AC’s qualification hopes are now in the hands of next weekend’s decisive clash against Orlando Pirates in Conakry, they remain very much alive.
Group A also saw its first quarterfinalist confirmed, with Mamelodi Sundowns cruising to a 3-0 victory over Nigeria’s Lobi Stars. Goals from Thapelo Morena, Themba Zwane, and Lebohang Maboe ensured the South African side leads the group with 10 points and a +5 goal difference. Meanwhile, ASEC Mimosas stunned Wydad AC with a 2-0 home win, thanks to a brace from Ahmed Touré. Despite the defeat, Wydad maintains a chance to advance, sharing seven points with ASEC and keeping the group finely balanced ahead of the final matchday.
Group C offered a dramatic twist as Club Africain narrowly defeated CS Constantine 1-0 at Constantine, keeping their hopes alive with a crucial away victory. TP Mazembe drew 1-1 with Ismaily SC, meaning the DR Congolese side sits second in the group with eight points, closely following Constantine’s 10 points. The final matches will see Constantine facing Mazembe, with quarterfinal qualification hanging in the balance.
In Group D, the situation remains wide open. JS Saoura secured an important 2-0 home victory over Simba SC, with goals from Sid Yahia Cherif and Mohamed Amine Hamia from the penalty spot. Meanwhile, AS Vita Club pulled off a remarkable upset against Al Ahly SC, winning 1-0 thanks to Rossien Tuisila Kisinda’s late strike. With these results, Saoura leads the group with eight points, closely followed by Al Ahly (7 points), AS Vita Club (7 points), and Simba SC (6 points). The final matchday promises intense battles as all four sides remain in contention for quarterfinal qualification.
Summary of Results – Matchday 5
Group A
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ASEC Mimosas 2-0 Wydad AC [Ahmed Touré x2]
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Mamelodi Sundowns 3-0 Lobi Stars [Thapelo Morena, Themba Zwane, Lebohang Maboe]
Group B
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Espérance Tunis 2-0 Horoya AC [Marius Assoko (OG), Franck Kom]
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Orlando Pirates 2-2 FC Platinum [Thembinkosi Lorch, Augustine Mulenga || Never Tigere, Rainsome Pavari]
Group C
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CS Constantine 0-1 Club Africain [Bassirou Campaore]
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Ismaily SC 1-1 TP Mazembe [Abdelrahman Magdy || Meschack Elia]
Group D
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JS Saoura 2-0 Simba SC [Sid Yahia Cherif, Mohamed Amine Hamia (pen)]
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AS Vita Club 1-0 Al Ahly SC [Rossien Tuisila Kisinda]
As the CAF Champions League heads into its final group stage matches, the stage is set for decisive showdowns that will determine the remaining quarterfinalists. Fans can expect high-stakes encounters, thrilling performances, and dramatic finishes as African club football reaches a critical juncture.
