Homeless Sudanese club Al Hilal continued their remarkable CAF Champions League Group A run with a 1-0 victory over Algerian rivals Mouloudia Alger on Saturday.
Mauritanian midfielder Guessouma Fofana scored the decisive goal in the 76th minute at an empty Algiers stadium, a penalty imposed on Mouloudia following crowd trouble during a qualifier.
Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman, one of three Sudanese players in the starting line-up, orchestrated the goal with a perfectly angled free-kick into the box. Fofana headed the ball into the ground, sending it past goalkeeper Abdelatif Ramdane.
The win lifts Al Hilal to nine points from three matches, maintaining their perfect record. Mouloudia remain on four points, while TP Mazembe of DR Congo have two, and Tanzania’s Young Africans sit at the bottom with one.
Due to the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which began 20 months ago, Hilal relocated to Mauritania, competing in the national league alongside compatriots Al Merrikh. Champions League matches are hosted in Nouakchott, where Hilal recently secured a last-minute win against Mazembe.
This marks Hilal’s participation in the CAF Champions League every year since 2004. Dubbed The Blue Wave, they have reached the semi-finals four times during this period. With two of their remaining three group-stage matches at home, Hilal are strong contenders for a top-two finish and a quarter-finals spot.
Led by DR Congo-born coach Florent Ibenge, Hilal’s multi-national squad includes players from Sudan, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, and DR Congo.
Group A Drama Continues
Young Africans of Tanzania ended their winless streak with a dramatic last-minute goal by Zimbabwean Prince Dube to secure a 1-1 draw with Mazembe in Lubumbashi.
In Group C, South Africa’s Orlando Pirates climbed to the top after a 1-1 draw with Ivory Coast’s Stade Abidjan. Despite dominating, Pirates needed a penalty from Evidence Makgopa to take the lead, while Stade equalized through Ousmane Meite’s header.
Esperance of Tunisia overtook Egypt’s Pyramids as Group D leaders, claiming a 2-0 victory in Rades. Meanwhile, Moroccan side FAR Rabat remained Group B leaders after a 1-1 draw with DR Congo’s Maniema Union in Kinshasa.
Defending champions Al Ahly had their Group C match against Chabab Belouizdad postponed to December 22 due to their participation in the Intercontinental Cup, where they fell to Mexico’s Pachuca on penalties.
Source: AFP.
