TP Mazembe have been knocked out of the CAF Champions League after a 1-0 defeat by Club Africain in Tunisia, while reigning Moroccan champions MAS Fes advanced at the expense of ASEC Mimosas.
The Congolese side travelled to the Olympic Stadium Hammadi Agrebi in Rades on Sunday needing a result after being held to a 1-1 draw at home in the first leg. Instead, a stoppage-time goal before half-time settled the tie in Club Africain’s favour.
Cameroon striker Taddeus Nkeng, who joined the Tunisian club from Stade Malien last summer, scored in the 45th minute plus two. Club Africain progressed 2-1 on aggregate, leaving TP Mazembe to miss out on qualification for the second consecutive year.
ASEC Mimosas also suffered a home defeat, losing 2-1 to MAS Fes at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. The first meeting in Morocco had ended 1-1.
Christopher Ibayi, one of MAS Fes’ new signings, put the visitors ahead in the 62nd minute. Kevin Bakare restored parity for ASEC in the 73rd minute, but Khalid Baba struck in the seventh minute of added time to send the Moroccan champions through.
The result means MAS Fes return to the CAF Champions League after a 14-year absence. ASEC Mimosas are eliminated, as are fellow Ivorian club FC San Pedro.
FC San Pedro were beaten 2-0 by Nouadhibou in Nouakchott, surrendering the advantage they had gained in the first leg. Nouadhibou scored in the 10th and 53rd minutes to overturn FC San Pedro’s 2-1 victory in Cote d’Ivoire.
That first-leg success had been secured in dramatic fashion, with FC San Pedro scoring in the 90th minute plus eight. It was not enough to prevent Nouadhibou from completing the turnaround and ending the Ivorian club’s campaign.
