The group stage of the Caf Champions League will draw to a close with eight matches across the continent this weekend, though only two quarterfinal berths remain up for grabs.
Al Hilal (Sudan), ASFAR (Morocco), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), Al Ahly, Pyramids FC (both Egypt) and Esperance de Tunis (Tunisia) have already guaranteed progression into the final eight of Africa’s premier club competition.
The first of the two remaining slots will be up for grabs at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday afternoon, as Tanzania’s Young Africans host Algerian visitors MC Alger in Group A.
Yanga need to win the match to overtake MCA and join Al Hilal (who will be away to TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi in a concurrent game) in progressing to the quarters. Anything less and it will be the Algerian club which advances.
“We have one more challenge to overcome,” said Young Africans coach Sead Ramovic. “We must give everything on [Saturday] January 18 to achieve our goal.”
The remaining games on Saturday are headlined by a meeting of Al Ahly and Orlando Pirates in Cairo – with the Buccaneers hoping to avoid defeat in order to win Group C – while the top position in Group D will be decided by home games for Esperance and Pyramids against Sagrada Esperanca in Tunis and Djoliba in Cairo respectively. The North African sides are tied on 10 points apiece, with Esperance ranked first on head-to-head results.
Sunday’s action will decide the last quarterfinalist, with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns needing to avoid defeat at home to already-qualified Group B leaders ASFAR in Pretoria to join their opponents in the next phase. A win, meanwhile, would see them claim top spot ahead of the army side.
Together, let’s paint Loftus in yellow this weekend! 💛
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) January 16, 2025
⚽ Mamelodi Sundowns v AS FAR
📆 19 January
⏰ 18H00
🏟 Loftus Versfeld
📺 SS 209
Get your tickets here : https://t.co/9LYec4iT2m#Sundowns #TotalEnergiesCAFCL #RabatsenaGape pic.twitter.com/pWNbEhWWag
The only way the Brazilians will miss out on a seventh successive appearance in the quarterfinals is if they lose to ASFAR and Morocco’s Raja Casablanca claim a win at home to DR Congo’s AS Maniema Union in a concurrent clash.
Even then, the swing in goal difference (which would be the determining factor since Sundowns and Raja are level on head-to-heads) would need to be three in favour of the Moroccan side (currently Sundowns +1, Raja -2).
“We are aware of the conditions of the group, it’s a group that will be decided on the last game,” said Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso. “It’s all in our hands, our hearts, minds and feet to make things in the right way.”
Off to the next round 💪🏼 🦅 pic.twitter.com/U2KfkAHYOX
— Al Ahly SC 🇬🇧 (@AlAhlyEnglish) January 12, 2025
CAF Champions League fixtures (all times CAT)
Saturday, 18 January
3pm: Young Africans v MC Alger
3pm: TP Mazembe v Al Hilal
6pm: CR Belouizdad v Stade d’Abidjan
6pm: Al Ahly v Orlando Pirates
9pm: Pyramids FC v Djoliba AC
9pm: Esperance de Tunis v Sagrada Esperanca
Sunday, 19 January
6pm: Mamelodi Sundowns v ASFAR
6pm: Raja Casablanca v AS Maniema Union
