Al Hilal Omdurman made one of the strongest statements on the opening day of the CAF Champions League preliminary round, winning 2-0 away to Aigle Noir. MangaSport also claimed a two-goal advantage, while Club Africain edged Djoliba AC 1-0 as the first-leg ties produced a mixture of decisive results, narrow wins and draws.
Twelve matches were played on Saturday in the first round of qualifying, with the teams now having a week to prepare for the return fixtures.
Al Hilal Omdurman took control of their tie with a convincing victory on the road against Aigle Noir. The Sudanese side’s 2-0 success gives them a valuable advantage before the second meeting.
MangaSport also finished the day in a strong position after beating African Stars 3-1. Their three goals provide a significant cushion, although African Stars remain within reach of overturning the deficit in the return leg.
Club Africain secured a more slender advantage in their tie against Djoliba AC of Bamako. The Tunisian club won 1-0, leaving the contest finely balanced ahead of the decisive second match.
There were also away wins for Teungueth FC and Al Merreikh. Teungueth FC defeated FC Canchungo 1-0, while Al Merreikh recorded the same score against Power Dynamos. Both sides will take narrow leads into their return fixtures.
Three matches ended level, leaving everything to play for. San Pedro drew 1-1 with Rivers United, Vipers were held to the same score by Nouadhibou, and Gaborone United finished 1-1 against Young Africans.
The remaining matches included two goalless draws. Aiglons and Sidama Bunna could not be separated, while Star Sport Academy and Medina United also ended 0-0. El Mer. Bentiu claimed a 1-0 win over Heegan, and CFFA beat Lijabatho 2-0.
The full first-leg results were:
- Aigle Noir 0-2 Al Hilal Omdurman - El Mer. Bentiu 1-0 Heegan - CFFA 2-0 Lijabatho - Aiglons 0-0 Sidama Bunna - MangaSport 3-1 African Stars - FC Canchungo 0-1 Teungueth FC - San Pedro 1-1 Rivers United - Star Sport Academy 0-0 Medina United - Vipers 1-1 Nouadhibou - Al Merreikh 1-0 Power Dynamos - Gaborone United 1-1 Young Africans - Club Africain 1-0 Djoliba AC
The return matches will determine which clubs progress from the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League. While Al Hilal Omdurman and MangaSport have established the clearest advantages, the three drawn encounters and several one-goal victories mean most of the ties remain open.