JOHANNESBURG: Homeless Sudanese club Al Hilal shocked Tunisian giants Esperance 3-1 on Friday in a CAF Champions League second-round Group C match in Tanzania.
After Yassine Meriah conceded an eighth-minute own goal, captain Mohamed Abdelrahman converted a 15th-minute penalty to give the Omdurman outfit a two-goal half-time lead.
Gambian Kebba Sowe halved the deficit in the Indian Ocean port city of Dar es Salaam on 59 minutes before Senegalese Pape N’Diaye restored the two-goal advantage 12 minutes from time.
Hilal cannot play at home because of the armed conflict in Sudan.
After playing a qualifier in Morocco, Hilal moved to Tanzania for the group phase, and their first match there delivered an unexpected success over four-time African champions Esperance.
Hilal are making a record 37th appearance in the premier African club competition and the closest they have come to lifting the trophy was finishing runners-up twice in the 1980s.
Hilal lost to Petro Luanda in Angola last weekend while Esperance won a Tunisian derby against Etoile Sahel, the only club to win all five current and past CAF competitions.
Etoile host Petro on Saturday near Tunis and should they win all four teams in the mini-league will have three points.
A Group D match also produced an upset as Medeama snatched a 2-1 victory in Ghana over Algerian visitors Chabab Belouizdad, quarter-finalists in the past three editions.
Mamudu Kamaradin scored in the fourth minute of added time in Kumasi for the home team, who came from behind to win.
Abdelraouf Benguit netted from a 39th-minute penalty and Daniel Lomotey equalized in the final minute of the opening half.
Success for Medeama came six days after a heavy loss at title-holders Al Ahly of Egypt while Belouizdad were comfortable first-round winners over Young Africans of Tanzania.
Medeama are Champions League debutants who surprised Remo Stars of Nigeria and Horoya of Guinea in qualifiers.
The other six second round matches are scheduled for Saturday, including Young Africans against Ahly.
Homeless Hilal shock Esperance in CAF Champions League
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Homeless Hilal shock Esperance in CAF Champions League
- Hilal cannot play at home because of the armed conflict in Sudan
- After playing a qualifier in Morocco, Hilal moved to Tanzania for the group phase
Newcastle United secure a 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace
- The win lifts them to ninth place in the current Premier League standings
LONDON: Newcastle United secured a 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace in their latest Premier League match on Sunday with goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Malick Thiaw.
The win lifts them to ninth place in the current Premier League standings.
Meanwhile, Harrison Reed struck a stunning equalizer for Fulham to salvage a 2-2 draw against Liverpool as both sides scored in stoppage time, while Manchester United were held 1-1 at Leeds.
Liverpool looked set to consolidate their place in the Premier League’s top four when they came from behind to lead at Craven Cottage.
Harry Wilson opened the scoring against his former club to give Fulham a deserved half-time lead.
Liverpool improved markedly after the break to extend their unbeaten run to nine games.
Florian Wirtz leveled before Cody Gakpo steered home Jeremie Frimpong’s cross in the 94th minute.
However, the visitors’ celebrations were cut short when Reed took aim from outside the box and blasted into the top corner for his first goal in three years.
A point keeps Liverpool three points ahead of fifth-placed United in the battle for a place in next season’s Champions League.
The Red Devils were headed to a rare defeat at Elland Road as the sides rekindled their historic rivalry after Leeds’ two-year absence from the Premier League.
Brenden Aaronson’s strike early in the second half sparked wild scenes of jubilation among the home fans, but Matheus Cunha quickly leveled to ensure United did not fall to a first defeat against Leeds in 16 years.
United have consistently wasted opportunities to move into the top four in recent weeks and Ruben Amorim hinted he will not remain at Old Trafford beyond the end of his contract in 18 months’ time.
“I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach,” said Amorim.
