Raja Casablanca were the first team to qualify for the knockout phase of the CAF Champions League after recording a 3-1 win at Horoya in their Group C encounter, but had to do so with 10 men.
The Green Eagles had a 100% record heading into Tuesday’s trip to the Guinean capital, Conakry, and took the lead in the sixth minute courtesy of Walid Sabbar.
Horoya then had an early bath in the 26th minute when goalkeeper Moussa Canara was given a straight red card for handling the ball with his hands outside his area. Mohamed Nahiri then made it 2-0 to Raja with a stunning freekick before Jamal Harkass received his marching orders in added time of the first half.
Sabbar completed his brace in the 63rd minute before Horoya got their consolation goal seven minutes later via Pape Ndiaye. Raja had a chance to make it 4-1 from the penalty spot but Mohamed Zrida missed.
The results sees Raja record four wins from four games which was enough to see them through to the quarter-finals. They are six points clear of Simba SC of Tanzania who defeated Ugandan giants Vipers in the other Group C game.
In Group B, Al Hilal Omdurman of Sudan recorded a comfortable 2-0 home win over Coton Sports of Cameroon, moving top of the group with nine points, two points clear of Mamelodi Sundowns who have a game in hand.
The remaining games of the day where in Group D where Esperance of Tunisia earned a 3-1 win over Egyptian heavyweights Zamalek while Belouizdad of Algeria defeated Sudan’s Al Merrikh by a lone goal.
5/8! ✅
Here are today’s #TotalEnergiesCAFCL results! ???? pic.twitter.com/ulu5aUPg4y
— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC ???? (@CAFCLCC) March 7, 2023
The remaining group games will be played on Saturday with Sundowns hosting the most successful Champions League side, Al Ahly, in Pretoria while Group A action will see Angola’s Petro Atletico de Luanda host reigning champions Wydad Casablanca, and JS Kabylie welcome AS Vita of DR Congo to Stade 1 Novembre 1954 in Tizi Ouzou.
