One win, two losses and a draw were the produce of Egyptian clubs in this week's African football club championships. Abeer Anwar reports It all started on Friday 23 April when Libyan side Al-Ittihad stunned visitors Ahli 2-0 in the 1/8th round first leg encounter of the Orange CAF Champions League in Tripoli. In the 11 June Stadium, Ittihad surprised all by scoring the first goal in the 14th minute through defender Younes Shibani. Despite several golden opportunities to tie in the second half, Ahli were not able to make up for the goal and instead found themselves two down following a header by striker Ahmed Zuwai. Ahli officials, fans and even coaches opened fire on Ahli for their part-reluctance, part over-confidence, making in the process a number of mistakes especially in defence. Ahli thought the 2007 scenario will be repeated when they beat Ittihad easily in the same tournament and probably did not seriously consider what Ittihad 's football manager Abdel-Meguid Saleh said prior to the game, that "Ittihad are completely different from what they were three years ago. Almost all the players have changed and the team's average age is under 30 except for the goalkeeper. We have completely changed the team and we won't be an easy prey for Ahli." And they weren't. According to cafonline.com, in a post-match interview, Ittihad coach Jesic said his team had the ability to edge past the record six-time African champions to remain on course for their maiden continental silverware. "We will be seeking to win the second leg too, although Ahli become particularly attack-minded while playing at home." The Serbian reckons a tough task awaiting him at Ahli's favoured ground, Cairo International Stadium. "If we play defensively, we might well bow out. We have a very difficult task in hand. Our opponents are experienced and powerful. "They are capable of turning things upside down in the next game, so we have to be cautious." Ahli must score at least three unanswered goals to scale over their Libyan opponents during the second leg billed for 9 May. A story in the sports pages of Egypt's daily Al-Ahram begged optimism, citing a two-legged match in 2004 between Ahli Jeddah of Saudi Arabia who lost 3-1 in their first leg match against a South Korean opponent Pohang but won the second leg match 5-0 "so it's too early to dig Ahli's grave." Egyptian club Ismaili compensated somewhat for Ahli's loss by recording a 1-0 win over Sudanese giants Al-Hilal in Omdurman, keeping alive their ambitions reaching the mini-league stage. Mohamed Hommos' 45th minute effort proved crucial for the Egyptian Samba Boys, winners in 1970. Holders TP Mazembe also grabbed a crucial victory away from home. Mazembe piped Malian champions Djoliba AC by a lone goal in Bamako. Playmaker Tresor Mputu Mabi scored the winner of Les Corbeaux from the spot on 51 minutes. The biggest winner of the weekend qualifiers was Zimbabwean giants Dynamos, who recorded a 4-1 win over Botswana champions, Gaborone United. Dynamos, which have participated at the mini-league stage of the premier continental club championships on their last three attempts, came from behind to hand the Gaborone-based club their first defeat of the campaign. Striker Steven Maposa stunned the home crowd with the opening goal on the quarter-hour mark. But the lead would last for only 10 minutes before Dylan Chivanbire drew parity. Midfielder Benjamin Marere shot Dynamos into the lead for the first time in the game five minutes past the half-hour mark. The host resumed strongly and sealed victory with strikes from Farai Vimisai and Evans Gwekwerere in the closing stages ahead of the second leg billed for Gaborone in a fortnight. In Rades, Tunisian champions Esperance Sportive de Tunis posited a 3-0 win over Sudanese giants Al-Merrikh. First half goals from Nigerian-import Michael Eneramo, Aymen Ben Amor and midfieldfer Oussama Darragi was all the Tunis-based side needed to cruise over their Sudanese guests. The result served a double agony for Sudanese football after bitterest rivals Al-Hilal's loss to Ismaili. Algerian champions Entente Setif managed a lone goal victory over Zambian visitors Zanaco on Saturday thanks to Mourad Delhoum's 74th minute goal. Entente Setif failed to double their lead four minutes to full time as Setifian Hemani wasted a penalty. In Johannesburg, South African torchbearers SuperSport United were held 1-1 by last year's losing finalists Heartland FC of Nigeria. Defender ThankGod Ike fired the visiting Nigerian club into the lead after three minutes before Thabo September drew parity for the Matsatsantsa six minutes from time. At Tizi Ouzou, former African champions JS Kabylie of Algeria beat Angolan champions Petro Atletico 2-0. Tedjar Saad opened the score on 50 minutes before Aoudia Mohamed Amin sealed victory with the second goal a minute from time. The Angolans, however, ended the game with a man-less after Santana was sent off with four minutes remaining. The second leg matches will be played in a fortnight with the winners advancing to the mini-league stage and the losers engaging the 1/8th round losers of the Orange CAF Confederation Cup in a playoff. Champions League Results Al-Ittihad (Libya) 2-0 Ahli (Egypt) Entente Setif (Algeria) 1-0 Zanaco (Zambia) SuperSport United (South Africa) 1-1 Heartland FC (Nigeria) Dynamos (Zimbabwe) 4-1 Gaborone United (Botswana) Djoliba AC (Mali) 0-1 TP Mazembe (DR Congo) Al-Hilal (Sudan) 0-1 Ismaili JS Kabylie (Algeria) 2-0 Petro Atletico (Angola) Esperance (Tunisia) 3-0 Al-Merrikh (Sudan) In the Orange CAF Confederation Cup, Egyptian debutants Petrojet were held by twice-winners CS Sfaxien of Tunisia 1- 1 in their 1/8th round clash in Suez on Sunday. The hosts came from behind to hold the 2007 and 2008 winners of the second-tier continental club championship at the Suez Canal Stadium. Hamza Younes scored for the Tunisians on 22 minutes before playmaker Walid Suleiman leveled for Petrojet four minutes from recess. Petrojet players lost a number of chances to take the lead and make their trip back to Tunisia in two-weeks time easier but their trials were all futile due to their lack of concentration and experience which will make their job in the second- leg that much more difficult. Tanzanian giants Simba SC managed a 2-1 victory over Haras Al-Hodoud of Egypt at Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar-El-Salaam. Emmanuel Okwi gave the hosts the lead in the 10th minute and Mrisha Mgosi doubled the lead in the second half before Ahmed Eid grabbed the much-needed away goal in the closing stages of the game. "We are satisfied with the result and we will do our best in the second leg match," Mohamed Mashour, of Haras Al-Hodoud said following the game. "I think we can still qualify, especially since we will play at home in front of our fans." In other matches, Nigerien side ASFAN maintained their giant-killing status with a lone goal victory over Congolese side Daring Club Motema Pembe while holders Stade Malien tumbled once again, losing 2-0 to Moroccan torchbearers FUS Rabat. Striker Mohamed Abdoulaye scored on 32 minutes to send the crowd at the General Seyni Kountche Stadium in Niamey celebrating all night. In Rabat, Nigerien-import Alhassane Issoufou fired FUS Rabat into the lead on 27 minutes before Malian Souleymane Dembele sealed victory with a superb strike seven minutes after the hour mark. Stade Malien had their woes deepened after Cheick Oumar Ballo was given his marching orders on the stroke of full time. The 14-time Malian champions have displayed a less than ordinary performance this season, raising doubts about their ability to defend the title. Elsewhere, at the Atbra Stadium, Sudan's torchbearers Al-Amal beat visiting CR Belouizdad of Algeria by a lone goal. El-Tahir Hammad scored the match winner on 52 minutes. At the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, AS Vita Club took a giant stride towards qualification to the next round with a 3-0 win over Nigeria's Enyimba FC. Striker Alfred Fongang broke the deadlock after five minutes, giving the Black Dolphins a first half lead before second half goals from Ilonga Ilifo and Serge Lofo Bongeli from the spot sealed victory. Enyimba, African champions in 2003 and 2004, must score at least four unanswered goals to advance past the Congolese in the return leg in Aba in a fortnight. Nigeria's other representatives Warri Wolves beat CAPS United of Zimbabwe 2-1 in Warri. Cameroon are in danger of losing out on representation in the continental club championship after sole survivors Coton Sport lost 2-1 at home to Primeiro de Agosto of Angola. The Angolans shot into a two-goal lead courtesy of Marcellin Gaha and Jose Valo before Hilaire Momi grabbed a consolation in the dying embers of the game. Second leg matches will take place on the weekend of 7-9 May with the winners facing the 1/8th round losers of the Orange CAF Champions League for a place at the mini-league stage. Confederation Cup Results Simba (Tanzania) 2-1 Haras Al-Hodoud (Egypt) Warri Wolves (Nigeria) 2-1 CAPS United (Zimbabwe) AS Vita Club (DR Congo) 3-0 Enyimba (Nigeria) Al-Amal (Sudan) 1-0 CR Belouizdad (Algeria) FUS Rabat (Morocco) 2-0 Stade Malien (Mali) Petrojet (Egypt) 1-1 CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) AS FAN (Niger) 1-0 DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo) Coton Sport (Cameroon) 1-2 Primeiro de Agosto (Angola).
