CAF Champions League: Halfway through the Mini-League Stage. Photo | CAF Online

CAF Champions League

Raja remains the only perfect side after round three

Morocco’s Raja Club Athletic remained the only team with a 100 pc record after round three of group matches in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League this weekend.

Raja have picked three back to back victories, their 1-0 result at home against Horoya taking them to nine points.

A total of 14 goals were scored across eight matches, with only one game, the Esperance v Etoile du Sahel fixture failing to provide a goal.

Meanwhile, only Raja and Mamelodi Sundowns are yet to concede a goal after three rounds of group stage matches.

Here is a summary of how match day three went and who is in danger of missing out on the quarter finals.

Group A

South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns picked perhaps what was the biggest result of not only Group A but the entire round of matches this weekend when they stunned defending champions Al Ahly 1-0 in Cairo.

This was the first time ever that the 2016 champions were beating Ahly in Cairo and also the first time they were scoring a goal against The Red Devils at their backyard.

The win saw Downs move to seven points and top of the standings while Ahly, who have played two matches only, are third with a point.

Meanwhile, Al Merrikh earned bragging rights from the Sudanese derby after beating arch rivals AL Hilal 2-1 in Cairo to go to four points and stay second in the standings.

Results:

Al Merrikh 2-1 Al Hilal

Al Ahly 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns

Upcoming fixtures

Al Ahly v Al Merrikh

Al Hilal v Al Merrikh

Mamelodi Sundowns v Al Ahly

Group B

Raja sit pretty on top of the standings with nine points and look well on course to charging into the quarter finals. They have picked identical 1-0 results in all their three matches and despite slim margins, they have had the job done.

South African debutants AmaZulu have been the group’s surprise package. They started the group phase with a slim 1-0 loss away to Raja, but since then, back to back wins over Horoya and Es Setif, both by 1-0 margins at home, have lifted them to second and six points.

Setif sit third after losing back to back matches with Horoya, who have lost all their three games tailing the group. The Guinean side is also the only team in the group phase yet to score a goal.

Results

Raja Club Athletic 1-0 Horoya

AmaZulu 1-0 ES Setif

Upcoming fixtures

ES Setif v AmaZulu

Horoya v Raja Club Athletic

Group C

This looks like one of the toughest groups in this season’s Champions League. Esperance du Tunis, who sit top, and CR Belouizdad of Algeria, have earned identical results each with a win and two draws to go five points after the first three rounds.

Etoile du Sahel and debutants Jwaneng Galaxy are both winless after the first three rounds with Etoile drawing all their matches while Galaxy have drawn one and lost two.

Results

Esperance 0-0 Etoile du Sahel

Jwaneng Galxy 1-2 CR Belouizdad

Upcoming fixtures

CR Belouizdad v Jwaneng Galaxy

Etoile du Sahel v Esperance

Group D

With two wins and a draw, Angola’s Petro de Luanda sit pretty on top after round three matches. Petro earned bragging rights from the Angolan derby on match day three, beating local rivals Sagrada Esperanca 2-1 to move top with seven points.

Sagrada have so far managed only one point and their chances of making the last eight look tougher by the day.

But, the group’s biggest strugglers have been Egyptian giants Zamalek SC who are yet to win after three matches, picking two draws before losing against Wydad Club Athletic last weekend.

Zamalek came from 2-0 down to manage a late 2-2 draw with Petro before playing to a goalless draw with Sagrada.

Meanwhile, Wydad are second with six points. Their only defeat was a shock 2-1 loss to Petro.

Results

Wydad Club Athletic 2-1 Zamalek

Sagrada Esperanca 0-1 Petro de Luanda

Upcoming fixtures

Zamalek v Wydad Club Athletic

Petro de Luanda v Sagrada Esperanca