African Champions League Semi-Finalists Confirmed After Fifth Matchday Drama
The race to the semi-finals of the African Champions League has reached an exciting climax, with all four semi-finalists now confirmed following the fifth round of group stage matches over the weekend.
In Group A, the two Congolese giants—Tout Puissant Mazembe and AS Vita Club—continued their dominant form with victories that secured their progression. On Sunday in Lubumbashi, TP Mazembe defeated Sudanese side Al Hilal Omdurman 3-1. Goals from Rainford Kalaba, Solomon Asante, and Adama Traoré sealed the win, while Mudather Careca scored a late consolation for Al Hilal.
Meanwhile, AS Vita Club earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory on Egyptian soil against Zamalek, with Ugandan striker Yunus Sentamu scoring the decisive goal. This marked the first defeat for Zamalek’s new coach Hossam Hassan.
Both Mazembe and Vita Club now sit atop Group A with 10 points each, setting up a thrilling showdown in the final group match to determine group supremacy.
Group B saw the dramatic elimination of Tunisian powerhouse Espérance Tunis after a 2-2 draw away at ES Sétif. Akram Djahnit’s brace for Sétif was cancelled out by Ahmed Akaichi’s two goals. Meanwhile, CS Sfaxien strengthened their position at the top of the group with a narrow 1-0 win away to Al Ahli Benghazi, courtesy of Ferjani Sassi’s strike.
The current standings in Group B place CS Sfaxien in first with 10 points, followed closely by ES Sétif on 9 points. Both Espérance Tunis and Al Ahli Benghazi trail on 4 points, sealing the fate of the Tunisian side’s campaign.
Group A Results
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TP Mazembe 3-1 Al Hilal Omdurman (Kalaba 27′, Asante 60′, Traoré 76′; Careca 90+3′)
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Zamalek 0-1 AS Vita Club (Sentamu 55′)
Group A Standings
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TP Mazembe – 10 points
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AS Vita Club – 10 points
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Zamalek – 4 points
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Al Hilal Omdurman – 4 points
Group B Results
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Al Ahli Benghazi 0-1 CS Sfaxien (Sassi 67′)
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ES Sétif 2-2 Espérance Tunis (Djahnit 29′ pen, 50′; Akaichi 7′, 72′)
Group B Standings
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CS Sfaxien – 10 points
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ES Sétif – 9 points
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Espérance Tunis – 4 points
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Al Ahli Benghazi – 4 points
The final group fixtures promise intense battles as teams fight for top honours and a place in the continental showpiece’s semi-finals.
