It was a good weekend for
most of the big guns in the first round, first leg matches of the 2015 CAF Champions League, though title holders ES Setif were held to a draw and DR Congo giants TP Mazembe suffered defeat in South Africa.
The first round of the continent’s premier competition is traditionally the point at which a clearer picture of just who the strongest sides are begins to emerge, as the top ranked clubs that were given a bye for the preliminary round enter the field.
One of those was Algeria’s ES Setif, 2014 CAF Champions League winners, though they were unable to begin the defence of their title with a win. The North African side was held 1-1 by the Gambia’s Real Banjul on Saturday, but they should be able to secure progression in the return game in Algeria next month.
Should Setif progress, they look likely to face Morocco’s Raja Casablanca, as the Green Eagles defeated South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 in Durban to make them clear favourites to progress from an all-heavyweight tie.
The other Champions League game to take place in South Africa saw Mamelodi Sundowns defeat DR Congo contenders TP Mazembe 1-0, thanks to a late goal from Khama Billiat and a controversial red card for the visitors’ Kabaso Chongo in the first half.
Elsewhere, eight-time African champions Al Ahly have all but sealed their place in the second round with a 2-0 away win over Rwanda’s APR, while Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien can feel the same thanks to a 5-0 rout of Togo’s AC Semassi in Lome. Esperance also won 1-0 away to Cameroon’s Cosmos de Bafia to ease fears over what looked a tricky tie on paper.