CAF Confederation Cup: Raja Casablanca ends Pyramids’ 100 percent record

By David Ochieng Mbewa

Last season’s runners-up in the CAF Confederation Cup Pyramids F.C. saw its undefeated start in this season’s group stage come to an end after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Raja Casablanca in Morocco on Sunday.

Two goals in the first half, an own goal by Sherif Ekramy and a strike by Ben Ngita Malango, earned the Moroccans a win which preserved their own 100 percent record in Group D.

TOPSHOT – This picture shows the trophy prior to the draw of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) Confederation cup at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Cairo on December 28, 2018. (Photo by MOHAMED EL-SHAHED / AFP) (Photo credit should read MOHAMED EL-SHAHED/AFP via Getty Images)

Both sides came into the game level on six points and up until the match, neither team had conceded any goals but the 2018 champions proved too strong at the Stade Mohamed V.

Victory saw Raja claim the top spot outright moving on to nine points while Pyramids dropped to second place and remain on six points.

The other group game saw Zambian giants Nkana F.C. bounce back from the loss of their unbeaten home record in CAF competitions with a win away to Tanzania’s Namungo.

Diamond Chikwekwe scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half to secure a first win of the campaign for the visitors. The win moved Nkana off the foot of the table into third on three points while Namungo, who is making its debut in CAF competitions, slid to fourth with zero points.

Defending champions RS Berkane missed an opportunity to boost their qualification hopes after settling for a goalless draw at home to 10-man JS Kabylie.

Berkane sits third in Group B on four points, one behind JS Kabylie and two behind group leaders Cotonsport who edged NAPSA Stars 1-0 in Zambia.

Three-time winners CS Sfaxien maintained their unbeaten start and top spot in Group C following a barren draw in a Tunisian derby against two-time champions Étoile Sportive du Sahel.

Elsewhere, ASC Les Jaraaf of Senegal picked up a first win defeating Salitas F.C. of Burkina Faso 2-0 in Dakar with Albert Diene and Papa Paye scoring.

The results throw the group wide open with CS Sfaxien leading with five points followed by Étoile Sportive du Sahel and Jaraaf both on four points and Salitas a further point back.

In Group A, Nigerian side Enyimba came from a goal down to defeat ES Setif 2-1 in Aba. Monsef Bakrar gave the Algerians the lead in the 13th minute but the hosts failed to equalize four minutes later as Austin Oladapo missed a penalty.

Oladapo made amends leveling the tie five minutes before the break and Tosin Omoyele secured the win in the 60th minute.

The win put Enyimba top of the group with six points one ahead of Orlando Pirates who drew 0-0 with third-placed Al Ahly Benghazi, who have four points; while ES Setif is bottom with just one point.

The next group games are scheduled to take place on April 11.

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