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.
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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
Title-chasing Man City beat Palace 3-0, Villa edge five-goal thriller
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Villa comeback win at West Ham keeps them in title race
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Forest beat Spurs to move five points clear of danger zone
MANCHESTER: Manchester City maintained their squeeze on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday, a result that keeps Pep Guardiola’s side lurking two points behind the leaders and ready to pounce.
Aston Villa came from behind to win 3-2 at West Ham United to remain in the thick of the title race, while Nottingham Forest trounced error-prone visitors Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 for their fourth win in six league games.
At Selhurst Park, Erling Haaland scored twice and Phil Foden added another as second-placed City, who have 34 points, stayed in touch with Arsenal, who needed two own goals in a nervy 2-1 win over rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Haaland met Matheus Nunes’ cross with a thundering header after 41 minutes and Foden doubled the lead when he fired past Henderson from the edge of the box in the 69th.
Haaland sealed the victory from the penalty spot late on after goalkeeper Dean Henderson fouled Savinho.
“Erling is a forward to score the goals but in the second half he keeps the ball,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “He was able to contain situations. He helped us be together. In the second half he was outstanding.”
Palace are fifth on 26 points.
ROGERS DOUBLE LIFTS VILLA TO VICTORY
At London Stadium, Morgan Rogers struck twice to put Aston Villa on 33 points in third spot. West Ham’s sixth home defeat of the season left them third from bottom with 13 points.
Villa conceded after 29 seconds as Mateus Fernandes punished a mistake by Ezri Konsa and the away side trailed 2-1 at the interval before Rogers took matters into his own hands.
He drilled home an equalizer five minutes after the break and then smashed a dipping drive past keeper Alphonse Areola late on to seal the points.
Villa had canceled out West Ham’s early opener in the 10th minute with defender Konstantinos Mavropanos credited with an own goal but Jarrod Bowen put the hosts back in front.
“We needed to keep calm and be consistent and demanding in our game plan,” Villa boss Unai Emery told the BBC.
“I like how the players are responding, how they are getting the challenges we are sending in the dressing room but now everything is done and we go again.”
At the City Ground, Callum Hudson-Odoi bagged a double and Ibrahim Sangare added a late goal to lift Forest five points clear of the danger zone in 16th. Spurs are 11th on 22 points.
“The players are looking fitter, sharper and I know we have quality here, it was on show today,” Forest boss Sean Dyche told Sky. “It’s often about building the basics. The players are doing it brilliantly. We’re building that squad mentality.” (Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Villa comeback win at West Ham keeps them in title race
*
Forest beat Spurs to move five points clear of danger zone
MANCHESTER: Manchester City maintained their squeeze on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Sunday, a result that keeps Pep Guardiola’s side lurking two points behind the leaders and ready to pounce.
Aston Villa came from behind to win 3-2 at West Ham United to remain in the thick of the title race, while Nottingham Forest trounced error-prone visitors Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 for their fourth win in six league games.
At Selhurst Park, Erling Haaland scored twice and Phil Foden added another as second-placed City, who have 34 points, stayed in touch with Arsenal, who needed two own goals in a nervy 2-1 win over rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Haaland met Matheus Nunes’ cross with a thundering header after 41 minutes and Foden doubled the lead when he fired past Henderson from the edge of the box in the 69th.
Haaland sealed the victory from the penalty spot late on after goalkeeper Dean Henderson fouled Savinho.
“Erling is a forward to score the goals but in the second half he keeps the ball,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “He was able to contain situations. He helped us be together. In the second half he was outstanding.”
Palace are fifth on 26 points.
ROGERS DOUBLE LIFTS VILLA TO VICTORY
At London Stadium, Morgan Rogers struck twice to put Aston Villa on 33 points in third spot. West Ham’s sixth home defeat of the season left them third from bottom with 13 points.
Villa conceded after 29 seconds as Mateus Fernandes punished a mistake by Ezri Konsa and the away side trailed 2-1 at the interval before Rogers took matters into his own hands.
He drilled home an equalizer five minutes after the break and then smashed a dipping drive past keeper Alphonse Areola late on to seal the points.
Villa had canceled out West Ham’s early opener in the 10th minute with defender Konstantinos Mavropanos credited with an own goal but Jarrod Bowen put the hosts back in front.
“We needed to keep calm and be consistent and demanding in our game plan,” Villa boss Unai Emery told the BBC.
“I like how the players are responding, how they are getting the challenges we are sending in the dressing room but now everything is done and we go again.”
At the City Ground, Callum Hudson-Odoi bagged a double and Ibrahim Sangare added a late goal to lift Forest five points clear of the danger zone in 16th. Spurs are 11th on 22 points.
“The players are looking fitter, sharper and I know we have quality here, it was on show today,” Forest boss Sean Dyche told Sky. “It’s often about building the basics. The players are doing it brilliantly. We’re building that squad mentality.” (Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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