Sundowns win narrowly amid CAF goal scarcity
Former CAF Champions League title-holders Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa and Esperance of Tunisia had to settle for 1-0 home wins in matchday 1 on Saturday.
The narrow victory margins continued a trend which began with the first group match of the 2023 edition on Friday, when Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria upset Zamalek of Egypt 1-0 in Cairo.
With defending champions Wydad Casablanca of Morocco and the club they beat in the last final, Al Ahly of Egypt, involved in the Club World Cup there were only six matches over two days.
Four were settled by a single goal, one ended goalless, and Raja Casablanca of Morocco were the only team not affected by goal shyness as they hammered Vipers of Uganda 5-0 in north Africa.
Esperance had to wait until the fourth minute of added time to break down the Al Merrikh of Sudan defence, and the home team needed help from the visitors' goalkeeper, Mohamed Mustafa.
He failed to gather a headed cross and Mohamed Tougai, a centre-back, fired the loose ball into the net in Rades.
Victory brought four-time Champions League winners Esperance level on points and goal difference in Group D with Belouizdad ahead of a clash between them next Saturday.
Sundowns, whose success in 2016 was the last by a non-north African club, maintained a good record against Al Hilal of Sudan by winning 1-0 on a Pretoria pitch made slippery by rain.
The Group B match was the seventh between the regular African campaigners and Sundowns have won five.
Exciting prospect Cassius Mailula scored his 10th goal of the season in all competitions by reacting quickest to tap in when goalkeeper Ali Abu Eshrein spilled a long-range shot.
Many in the stadium, which Sundowns share with rugby franchise the Bulls, were convinced Mailula had scored again early in the second half, but he was ruled offside.
In Conakry, Simba of Tanzania goalkeeper Aishi Manula brilliantly saved a penalty by Pape N'Diaye from Horoya of Guinea, but could not prevent his team losing 1-0 in Group C.
Senegal-born N'Diaye had put the hosts ahead on 18 minutes as he took advantage of slack marking to nod a corner into the net.
Shock 2022 semi-finalists Petro Luanda of Angola made a disappointing start in Group A when held 0-0 at home by JS Kabylie of Algeria, twice African champions but not a force in recent times.
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