Homeless Hilal on track for CAF Champions League last eight

By : AFP

Date: 30 November 2025 11:22pm WAT

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Sudan club Al Hilal defy odds in CAF Champions League

Sudan club Al Hilal defy odds in CAF Champions League

Homeless Sudanese club Al Hilal drew 1-1 with Saint-Eloi Lupopo in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday to stay on course for a CAF Champions League quarter-finals place.

Abdelrazig Omer put the visiting team ahead after 12 minutes in Lubumbashi and they retained the lead until Ramos Kashala equalised with 11 minutes of regular time remaining.

It was the third goal from forward Kashala in the Champions League campaign and second from midfielder Omer.

Hilal trail Group C leaders Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa on goal difference with both sides having four points after two rounds.

Former champions Mouloudia Alger of Algeria, guided by ex-Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena, and Lupopo have one point each.

Hilal has been unable to host CAF matches in Sudan since April 2023 when civil war erupted in the east African state between the national army and the para-military Rapid Support Forces.

The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced 12 million people and created the largest hunger and displacement crises in the world.

Hilal competed in the Mauritanian championship last season as guests and will take part in the 2025-26 Rwandan league with fellow Omdurman club Al Merrikh.

However, to qualify for the Champions League, Hilal had to win their national championship. They went to army-controlled northeastern Sudan, and topped the table in an eight-club tournament.

Elsewhere, Stade Malien of Mali joined Petro Luanda of Angola at the top of Group D after a 2-1 win over Simba of Tanzania in Bamako.

Cameroonian Taddeus Nkeng and Ismaila Simpara gave Stade a two-goal advantage midway through the opening half in the Malian capital.

South African Neo Maema halved the deficit on 54 minutes, then Nkeng had a penalty saved by Yakoub Suleiman. Simba finished with 10 men after Senegalese Alhassane Kante was red-carded.

Petro and Stade have four points each, four-time African champions Esperance of Tunisia two and Simba none.

The mini-league phase of the premier African club competition resumes on January 23, five days after the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

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