Group A: Mamelodi Sundowns and Mazembe to Quarter-final – Mamelodi Sundowns and TP Mazembe have qualified for the quarter-finals of the CAF TotalEnergies Champions League after winning their Group A matches on Saturday.
South African team Sundowns secured their place in the knockout phase with a 2-0 victory against Mauritanian club Nouadhibou on Saturday night. The first half was scored by Grant Kekana and Themba Zwane, ensuring the Pretoria club advanced to the quarter-finals and putting them in a good position to compete for the championship.
Sundowns started the match strongly and took the lead midway through the first half when Kekana scored from Marcelo Allende’s free kick. The hosts remained in control for the rest of the match, with the powerful Zwane scoring the second goal in the 70th minute, assisted by substitute Lebohang Mokoena.
Group A: Mamelodi Sundowns and Mazembe to Quarter-final
In the end, Sundowns’ quality shone through, winning four of five matches in Group A to reach the quarter-finals with one match remaining.
Nouadhibou’s defeat means Mauritania has been eliminated in the group stage in its first Champions League campaign.
Former champions TP Mazembe managed to reach the quarterfinals yesterday thanks to their 3-0 victory against the Egyptian Pyramids.
The match, which was held in Lubumbashi, saw Mazembe showing a great victory with goals from Joel Beya, Glody Likonza and Patient Mwamba marking the victory.
With this victory, the club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo rises to second place in Group A with 10 points, and secures qualification for the quarterfinals.
On the contrary, Pyramids say goodbye to any hope of qualifying with four points, in the absence of a match against Nouadhibou, the Mauritanian champion.
Pyramids started the match promisingly but missed a golden opportunity early on when Mostafa Fathi’s shot was blocked by Mazembe goalkeeper Alioune Faty.
Mazembe took advantage of his opportunities quickly and Beya connected with a perfect cross from the right side to open the scoring. Likonza extended the home team’s lead shortly before half-time with a clever exchange inside the area.
Although Mazembe scored a third goal early in the second half, it was disallowed for offside.
Pyramids pushed for a comeback but Mazembe’s defense stood firm, blocking Fitson Mayele’s dangerous attempt.
In the final minutes of the match, Mwamba, who came off the bench, took advantage of the errors of Pyramids’ Blati Touré, marking Mazembe’s victory and ending with a solution.
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