It is the end of the road for Tanzania champions Simba SC as they failed to shine at home against visitors Uniao Desportivo do Songo of Mozambique in a CAF Champions League fixture played on Sunday afternoon at the National Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam.
UD Songo booked a ticket to the next round on a 1-1 aggregate draw after the first leg match played in Maputo ended in a barren draw two weeks ago.
Luis Misquissone converted a 14th minute free-kick but Erasto Nyoni’s equalizer in the 89th minute was not enough despite tried attacks in the added minutes Tanzanian champions as they fell out in the preliminary round.
Simba SC coach Patrick Aussems was left to rue another failed campaign on the continental scene after the match as he regretted the missed opportunities his side fashioned.
“We had trained for these situations. I had told the boys that the game was going to be decided on set-pieces but things did not go our way,” said Aussems.
“We ought to have won the game comfortably in the opening minutes and when we did not, UD Songo, playing cleverly, especially in their midfield, grew confident,” he added.
UD Songo coach, Nacir Aramndo, observed that the Tanzanians played well and dominated a huge chunk of the match.
“They were strong in the second half but we were in control in the first. From here, I would like the boys to have the focus to do as good as they can in Africa. It’s about time we tried to reach the group stage,” Aramndo continued.
Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates of South Africa crashed out on Saturday to Zambian side Green Eagles.
Tipped as potential champions before the preliminary round kicked off two weeks ago, the Johannesburg club was held to a 1-1 draw in the home leg.
They didn’t fare even better in the first leg as they were beaten 1-0 thus leaving them with too much to do and went out 2-1 on aggregate.
Eagles will face between Primero de Agosto of Angola, who won 4-0 on aggregate over KMKM FC of Zanzibar after Agosto won both the two legs 2-0.
In Nairobi, Nicholas Kipkirui grabbed a brace as he inspired Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia in humiliating Burundian side Aigle Noi 5-1.
K’Ogalo progressed with a heavy 5-1 aggregate win after the first leg ended in a goalless draw away in Bujumbura.
It was a week of thrashing for Somalia side Dekadaha as they suffered a 13-0 aggregate routing by Egyptian giants Zamalek.
In the first leg, the White Knights won 7-0 and completed a double with a 6-0 victory to reach the first round of the competition where they will meet Senegal’s Generation Foot.
Both legs were played at the Alexandria based Borg El Arab stadium due to the situation in Somalia.
CAF Champions League selected results
Al Merreikh 3-2 JS Kabylie
(AGG 3-3)
FC Platinum 3-2 Nyasa Big Bullets
(AGG 3-2)
ZESCO United 1-0 Green Mamba
(AGG 3 – 0)
Township Rollers 0-1 Young Africans
(AGG 1-2)
Premeiro 1º de Agost 2-0 KMKM
(AGG 4-0)
Mamelodi Sundown 4-0 AS Otôho d’Oyo
(AGG 5-2)
Etoile du Sahel 7-2 Hafia FC
(AGG. 8-4)
Génération Foot 3-0 LPRC Oilers
(AGG. 3-1)
Zamalek 6-0 Dekedaha
(AGG. 13-0)
Orlando Pirates 1-1 Green Eagles
(AGG. 1-2)
Raja Casablanca 4-0 Brikama United
(AGG. 7-3)
