CAF Champions League Review: Zamalek´s latest challenge off the mark

13 May 2017 01:22

Beaten finalists at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns in last season’s final, Zamalek began their quest for 2017 CAF Champions League glory with a 2-0 win at home to CAPS United.

The Zimbabwean visitors went into the break level in Borg El Arab, but Bassem Morsi broke the deadlock in the 56th minute and Stanley Ohawuchi sealed the win by netting the hosts’ second goal with seven minutes to go in the Group B fixture.

Wydad Casablanca, who lost to Zamalek in the 2016 semi-finals, had goals from William Jebor and Amine Attouchi to thank for a routine 2-0 victory at home to Cotonsport.

Vita Club suffered the double indignity of giving up the lead and having a man sent off, as they went down 3-1 at ES Tunis. Yazid Atouba saw his brilliant early solo goal cancelled out by Fousseny Coulibaly’s header, before Taha Yassine Khenissi sent the Tunisian hosts ahead from the penalty spot.

Yannick Bangala picked up his second yellow card of the match in the 51st minute, leaving Vita Club a man down for the majority of the second half, although it took until Anice Badri’s 87th-minute volley to make sure of the points for the 2011 champions.

Diogo Acosta opened and completed the scoring with a brace in Etoile du Sahel’s 5-0 thrashing of Ferroviario Beira.

Alkhali Bangoura, Hamza Lahmar and Hameur Bouazza were the other men on target at Stade Olympique de Sousse, as the Tunisian side hit the front in Group A.

Elsewhere on Friday, 2015 runners-up USM Alger eased to a 3-0 victory at home to Al Ahli Tripoli, while Al Hilal Omdurman were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Al Merreikh.