Match day two of the 2017 CAF Champions League were played over the weekend with defending champions, the Mamelodi Sundowns, grabbing their first win in the competition.
Having started the competition with a disappointing goalless draw on home soil against lowly rated Ethiopian side St. George Soccer Club, the South African ABSA Premiership side bounced back with a win against Association Sportive Vita Club of Democratic Republic of Congo.
A first half strike from the Liberian Anthony Snoti Laffor and a goal each from Ivorian striker Yannick Zakri and South African midfielder Sibusiso Vilakazi were enough to trash Vita Club, which got its lone goal through Malian striker Oumar Sidibe.
The South African side overcame their counterpart with a 3-1 scoreline away from home soil. South African winger Tebogo Lingerman partnered with Laffor to put the Sundowns ahead. Laffor headed in the South African’s cross from the left side of the pitch to give the Sundowns the lead.
However, AS Vita ensured that they went to the break with the score leveled when Malian strker Oumar Sidibe struck from outside the Sundowns’ penalty area to beat Ugandan goalkeeper Dennis Onyango seven minutes after the Sundowns had taken the lead.
The Pretoria-based club returned from recess stronger as they scored two and prevented the home side from scoring to walk away with all three points. Ivorian striker scored from within AS Vita’s penalty box in the 57th minute to put the Sundowns ahead for the second time before right winger Sibusiso Vilakazi sealed the win for the Brazilians with a superb finish in the 76th minute.
The three points won away from home took the Sundowns on top of Group C with four points from two games, leveled on points and goal with second placed Esperance Tunis of Tunisia, which is their next fixture to complete the first round of group matches.
While Laffor was celebrating his team’s first three points in the 2017 CAF Champions League group stage, his counterpart, William Jebor, who plays with the top Moroccan club Wydad Casablanca, had the opposite result as his side got defeated by Zambian Premier League side, Zanaco Football Club.
Wyadad began their champions league campaign with a 2-1 win over Cameroonian club Coton Sports at home and were hoping to win away at the Zambian side to get a 100 percent start.
Despite being tipped as the match favorite, they surprisingly bowed to a 1-0 score line after the sound of the final whistle. Zambian 22-year-old midfielder Ernest Mbewe scored the match’s only goal in the 13th minute.
Jebor who has been a key man in Wydad’s team, helping them to win the Moroccan Botola Pro League with 19 goals scored from 18 games, began the match from the substitute bench and was introduced in the 64th minute. The striker failed to produce some of his magic to rescue his side as they were defeated by the Zambians.
The defeat drops Jebor’s team from first to third in Group D with three points from two games, one less than the first and second-placed Al Ahly and Zanaco, respectively.
Wydad will have a tough battle in their next fixture against North African rivals, Al Ahly of Egypt. The Moroccans must win against the Egyptian giants if they are to bounce back from their defeat to Zanaco. They will travel to Cairo where they will play against the Egyptians on June 2.
Featured photo courtesy of the Mamelodi Sundowns
