Zamalek has achieved its second victory in a row in the group rounds in the CAF Confederation Cup. Their victory was achieved over the South African team, Orlando Pirates, and was played in South Africa. Recording a 2-1 score over the South African team, Zamalek topped its second group in the championship with six points, followed by Orlando, with three points. After the two competitors, the Congolese Léopards, and Tunisian team Sfaxien recorded one point each.
Zamalek will play against Léopards in Cairo on 24 July, in the third round, and if they win the match, it will bring them closer to qualify for the semi-final.
As for the first group, featuring their arch-rivals Al-Ahly, the title holder registered a goalless draw in its game against Stade Malien, in Mali. Al-Ahly scored a single point, putting it in second place in that group with four points, after Tunisian Etoile du Sahel that has six points. The two teams will confront each other in Cairo on 24 July as well, a game which may determine which team will top the group, especially as they are the closest to qualifying. In third place, Stade Malien comes with one point, followed by the Tunisian Espérance, with no points.
In the more important championship, the CAF Champions League, Smouha was hit with its first defeat in the first group of the quarterfinals. The Alexandrian team was defeated 2-0 by Sudan’s Al-Hilal in its stadium, paving the way for Al-Hilal to take first place with four points, followed by Smouha with three points, and the Congolese team, Mazembe, with two points. Finally the Moroccan team, Moghreb Tétouan, came in fourth place with one point.
Smouha will face Mazembe in Alexandria on 26 July, within the third round of the group stages. The Egyptian team needs to achieve victory to enhance its rank in the group, and continue the fierce competition over acquiring one of the two opportunities to qualify for the semi-final.
