CAF CL: Harambee Stars defender Mandela features in Sundown’s defeat to TP Mazembe

Harambee Stars defender Brian Onyango Mandela started in his second straight game for African Football League Champions Mamelodi Sundown’s in their unexpected 1-0 loss to Congo giant’s Tout Puissant Mazembe in a CAF Champions League match played at Stade TP Mazembe.

Mazembe approached the game as the underdogs going by head-to-head streak before the match, that had the South African opposition go into the game on the back of three consecutive wins over the Central Africa team. The Lamine N’Diaye-coached team had last won a match against Rhulani Mokwena’s charges in 2015 drubbing them 3-1 in Congo and this was a must-win game for them after losing the first game of the group stage to Pyramids of Egypt.

After a dull first half that saw the Kenyan defender booked in the 28th minute for time-wasting, a determined Mazembe went ahead in the 60th minute through Glody Likonza who turned in a delivery from Philippe Kinzumbi to secure maximum points for Mazembe.

Unlike in the mid-week Premier League match against Supersport United that saw the towering defender clock 90 minutes for Sundown, Onyango was withdrawn in the 77th minute with Grant Kekana taking his place.

The win lifted the five times CAF Champions League winners to third in Group A while Sundown maintains their place at the summit of the league with three points due to superior goal differences.

Al-Hilal 3-1 Esperance

First-half goals helped Al Hilal stun Tunisians' opponents Esperance 3-1 on 'home' soil in Dar es Salaam to continue an unpredictable start in Group C.

The result came just a week after Hilal began their campaign with a defeat against Angolan club Petro Atletico. But they rebounded in spectacular style, leaving coach Ibenge to hail a memorable giant-killing performance in his post-match comments.

"We were the underdogs but came with a different strategy, pinning Esperance early and getting important goals that lifted us," stated the delighted tactician.

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The shock result blows the section wide open with all four clubs to be locked on three points if Etoile du Sahel wins their home clash with Petro Atletico later tonight.

Galaxy 0-0 Simba SC

Simba played out yet another stalemate in the CAF Champions League Group stage matches as they battled to a barren draw against Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy in a match staged at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, Francistown in Botswana.

The draw leaves the Tanzanian side second on the log with two points while Galaxy have taken a shock control of the group with four points from two matches ahead of Wydad Casablanca against ASEC Mimosas later tonight.

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