Enyimba, First To Qualify For Champions League Semis

Nigeria’s Enyimba International FC became the first team to qualify for the African Champions League semi-finals with a dramatic 2-1 win in Sudan over Al Hilal at the weekend.

Samuel Tswanya scored a last-minute penalty to give Enyimba the win and lift them to 11 points from their five Group A games so far.

On Saturday, Esperance joined Enyimba in the semi-finals after the Tunisians thumped Algeria’s Mouloudia Alger 4-0 at home in Group B.

Enyimba made it through despite trailing to an early Hilal goal from the competition’s top scorer Edward Sadomba, but Valentine Nwaebili cancelled that out midway through the second half.

Cameroon’s Coton Sport then moved into second spot in Group A on Saturday with a 2-1 win over visiting Raja Casablanca of Morocco.

After Bouchaib Eel-Moubarki had given Raja an 18th-minute lead, a second-half double from Baba Ousmaila secured the victory.

The result takes Coton Sport level with Hilal on seven points, but the Cameroonians have the better head-to-head goal difference.

Both Hilal and Coton Sport are away from home this weekend in their final group games as they both battle for a semi-final place.

The Cameroonians travel to face Enyimba while the Sudanese side take on Raja Casablanca in Morocco.

In Group B, Esperance sealed their place in the last four thanks to a hat-trick from Joseph Ndjeng.

After Mejdi Traore broke the deadlock nine minutes into the home clash with Mouloudia Alger, Cameroon’s Ndjeng struck in the 19th, 43rd and 60th minutes.

Esperance’s win means that six-time champions Al Ahly will be eliminated should they lose to Wydad Casablanca in Morocco.

If that happens, Ahly will be joining Egypt’s national team in the African football wilderness after the champions failed to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Cairo-based club,  who was without midfielder Hossam Ghaly (suspended) and Mohamed Barakat (injured), has not scored in its last four matches.

Wydad have been starring in the group phase, sharing six goals with Ahly in Cairo, firing four past Mouloudia, coming from two goals behind at home to hold Esperance and forcing a draw away to the same side.