In an unprecedented display of haplessness, Egypt's best three football teams were ousted in humiliating fashion from the first round of Africa's club football championships The collapse began on Saturday after Zamalek were knocked out of the African Champions League by Rwanda's APR. On the same day Ismaili exited the Confederation Cup at the hands of Stade Tunisien of Tunisia. Ahli's ouster from the African Champions League on Sunday rounded off a miserable weekend for Egyptian teams in continental competitions. The Rwandan club APR secured a famous victory. The Rwandans trailed 3-2 from the first leg but won 4-1 at home to go through to the second round. Zamalek actually took the lead in Kigali after Abdel-Hamid Ali opened the scoring after 12 minutes. But APR replied in style as Marc Silengo, Rwandan international Jimmy Gatete and Hamuguni Makombe fired home before half- time. Jimmy Mulisa, another Rwandan international, wrapped up the victory after 80 minutes to send the Rwandans through 6-4 on aggregate. The other Egyptian giants Ahli followed Zamalek the next day by being knocked out of the same competition by Sudan's Al-Hilal, losing 1- 0 on aggregate. Al-Hilal held their Egyptian opponents to a 0-0 draw in Khartoum with the Sudanese side advancing to face SuperSport United from South Africa thanks to their shock 1-0 win in Cairo two weeks ago. The Confederations Cup also witnessed another upset for Egyptian teams as Ismaili, who were the beaten finalists in last year's African Champions League final, were knocked out of the event in the first round. The Egyptians travelled to face North African rivals Stade Tunisien with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg but went down 2-0 in Tunis, thus crashing out 3-2 on aggregate. The Tunisian side left it late and only scored their first goal of the match after 76 minutes, when Said Essaibi fired home. With the aggregate scores level, Tunisien would have gone through on the away goal ruling but Bassam Eddaassi scored the clincher all the same with just eight minutes left. Meanwhile, South Africans Wits University got what they were looking for when exiting the Confederation Cup on the away goal ruling after drawing with Madagascar's Leopards Transfoot 3-3 on aggregate. Concerned over the rising costs of participating in the continental event, Wits fielded a second- string side in the 2-2 draw against Leopards Transfoot in Johannesburg. Bizarrely, Wits missed a glorious opportunity to win the game in stoppage time when Zimbabwean striker Alois Bunjira hit over the top of the goal when just inches from the Transfoot goalline. The first game had finished 1-1, and Wits University were leading 2-1 at half time in the second leg thanks to goals from Gareth Devine and Alois Bunjira. Yet Francky Randriansoloniaina scored his second goal of the match for the visitors after 54 minutes to level the scores once again and ensure an upset for the Madagascan side. Ghana's King Faisal Babes thrashed Power Dynamos of Zimbabwe 4-0 in Kumasi. Abubakari Yahuza opened the scoring on 11 minutes, with captain Hamza Mohamed doubling the tally 18 minutes later. Striker Eric Gawu, who missed countless chances in the game, scored the third on the stroke of half time and added another in the 87th minute. King Faisal thus qualify on a 5- 0 aggregate and will meet Santos of South Africa in the next round next month. Tunisia's Club Africain are also through to the next round in the Confederation Cup after beating Gambian side Wallidan 3-0 in Tunis, thanks to goals from Khaled Mouelhi, Achraf Khalfaoui and Tareq Salem. Club African win 4-2 on aggregate. Another North African team safely through to the first round is FAR of Morocco, who won 3-2 against Olympic of Niger in Niamey thanks to goals from Rehda Moktari, Hicham Zerouali and Rachid Regadi. FAR won the tie 6-2 on aggregate, while domestic rivals Wydad Casablanca also made it through the round. Wydad held Etoile Filante to a goalless draw in Casablanca, which meant the Moroccans went through 1-0 on aggregate following their first leg win. However, fellow North Africans Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria had a less enjoyable day. The Algerian side beat Etoile of Guinea 2-1 at home, but exited the competition on away goals after losing the first match 1-0 in West Africa. In Senegal, home side Douanes beat InterClube of Angola 2-1 for a second time to win the tie 4- 2 on aggregate. The match between Motema Pembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Green Buffaloes of Zambia was postponed after the Tanzanian referees appointed to officiate the match failed to arrive in time. They had been expected in the country on Saturday morning but an FA spokesman said they were unable to travel as scheduled due to unforeseen problems with travel documents. Meanwhile, defending African Champion League champions Enyimba of Nigeria survived a scare in Dakar when playing Diaraf. The Nigerians led 3-0 from the first leg, but were beaten 2-0 in Senegal. Enyimba thus won through to the second round 3-2 on aggregate, and will now meet either Petro Atletico of Angola or Zimbabwe's Amazulu in the second round. The game between Atletico and Amazulu was postponed. Bakili Bullets of Malawi are also through to the next round after edging out Zanaco of Zambia on a penalty shoot-out. After the first leg had finished 1-0 to Bullets, Zanaco won by the same scoreline in Blantyre to force the shoot-out. Home goalkeeper Swadick Sanudi covered himself in glory as he saved three of the Zambians' five penalties as the Bullets won the shoot-out 6- 5. Earlier, Cosmas Banda scored the all- important goal for Zanaco as he headed home Newa Mwewa's cross. The match was played before 50,000 supporters after President Bakili Muluzi, who bankrolls the Bullets, paid for all the seats at the Chichiri Stadium. South Africa's Super Sport United also reached the second round after beating Mauritania's Port Louis 2-0 to win through 3-1 on aggregate. Abram Raselemane opened the scoring 20 minutes into the match, before a late own goal by Thierry Caleb made Super Sport's victory secure. In Johannesburg, Orlando Pirates joined Super Sport in the next round by thumping St Michel of the Seychelles 5-1 to go through 8-3 on aggregate. There were no goals in the North African clash between Hassania Agadir of Morocco and Tunisia's Etoile Sahel. The visiting Tunisian side had won the first game 2-0 so went through by that margin on aggregate, while Algeria's USM Alger also made it through the first round. The Algerians drew 2-2 against Burkinabe side ASFA Yennenga in Ouagadougou to secure a comprehensive 10-3 aggregate victory. Tunisia's Esperance also advanced after they won 1-0 away at Sahel of Niger to make it 5-0 on aggregate. The only goal of the game came in the 72nd minute from Hicham Jooma. Esperance will now take on Contonsport Garoua from Cameroon in the second round of the competition. Garoua made it through despite losing 1-0 to Saint Michel in Congo, the Cameroonians winning 4-2 on aggregate.
