Esperance stifled, Sundowns pulls through, and Wydad dominates in Matchday 3
Esperance-Etoile du Sahel: The facts
In an exciting yet, at the same time, mundane 0–0 draw between Esperance and Sahel, Esperance and Sahel duked it out to earn a point apiece. That, combined with Belouzidad’s win, keeps Esperance in first, albeit tied with Belouizdad. Sahel, on the other hand, is not far behind. They stand within striking distance of the two, having amassed three points in three games.
Analysis
I will say it outright: Esperance deserved to win. They outshot their elite rivals 20–6(3–1 shots on target) and even forced a second yellow from Sahel center-back Abdelrazek Bouazra to give them a physical advantage. The pieces were there, Ghaylen Chaaleli completed 56 out of a potential 64, and wunderkind Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane had a Man Of The Match performance. But for some reason, they could not find the back of the net. It means that the Sahel defense is either elite or lucky. Either way, Sahel will look to retain that performance against Esperance in March. Esperance will need to iron out their finishing issues come March, although it has not been hard for them to find the back of the net.
Galaxy-CR Belouizdad: The facts
This breathtaking match featured a surprisingly strong performance from a winless Jwaneng Galaxy on their home turf. Yet their late goal was not enough to overcome Kheiredine Merzougui’s brace in the dying minutes, preventing the Batswana club from earning their first CAF Champions League win of the season. Merzougui’s brace vaulted Belouizdad into first place(tied with Esperance) and places them in a favorable position returning home next game against Galaxy.
Analysis
Should it have taken this long? Belouizdad is a legitimate contender to win the CAF Champions League, but they cannot leave it to the last second like this if they want to make a deep run into the knockouts. Galaxy put in an impressive shift, countering Merzougui’s first goal with a goal of their own. But the Belouizdad striker struck again, earning Belouizdad’s third, fourth, and fifth points in three games. There is a sense of wanting from both camps: Galaxy could have held on for a bit more but collapsed in the dying moments. Belouizdad could have won by two, if not three if they were as clinical as manager Marcos Paqueta wanted. Belouizdad will look to expand their two-point margin over Sahel at home against Galaxy, while the Botswanans will try for their first win in the continental competition.
Sagrada Esperanca-Petro de Luanda: The Facts
This all-Angolan match saw a clear victory in Petro Atletico. Outshooting their contemporaries 16–8(6–0 shots on target), they took the lead early with Tigao Azulao’s 33rd-minute penalty. A red card did not help Sagrada Esperanca’s efforts to equalize, ending the game with just one goal scored between two teams. The game leaves Petro Atletico in first with seven points and Sagrada Esperanca in last with just one.
Analysis
With the victory, Petro Atletico goes into the latter half of the group stage with an advantage over Wydad and Zamalek. Pinch me now, is this a dream? The Angolans deserve the win, of course. They were efficient, enterprising, and hard-working. They could have won by more than the close scoreline of 1–0. Sagrada Esperanca, second to Petro de Luanda in the Girabola, now fell second in the match. It is disappointing, yet expected from them. The loss is a plummet to Earth after holding Zamalek to a scoreless draw in Matchday 2. The return fixture will feature the victors trying to grow their lead at home, while the losers look to gain ground in a tight Group D.
Wydad-Zamalek: The facts
Zizo’s 3rd-minute goal did not prevent an onslaught of Wydad goals, preventing Zamalek’s first win in the Champions League. Zouheir El Moutaraji, Amine Farhane, and Yahya Jabrane all scored to suppress any hope of a Zamalek comeback. Although possession was neatly split 50–50, Wydad was more productive, outshooting Zamalek 18–5(6–2 shots on target). The victory gives Wydad a one-game buffer between Zamalek going into an away matchup in Cairo.
Analysis
“I time-traveled from 2020, and I need to warn you about — hey what a weird scoreline! Wydad winning over Zamalek?”
“Not at all unexpected.”
“How? Didn’t they win the Egyptian Premier League this — I mean — last season?”
Well, it is because Zamalek is two different teams. One is the elite Egyptian Premier League that is resting at third. They have one of the best offenses and a really solid defense as well. They smash teams 4–0 without breaking a sweat. The other is a wishy-washy, unrecognizable Zamalek that got held by a vastly inferior Sagrada Esperanca 0–0. If the group stage ended today, Zamalek would miss out on the knockout round, something that everyone involved in the Cairo International Stadium will hate to see. Wydad has been pretty consistent, winning five points out of a potential nine. Their 3–1 victory, headlined by an elite Zouheir El Moutaraji performance, will put them in a prime position to advance. So if Zamalek wants to avoid elimination, it starts with an important home match against Wydad. Wydad will look to carry their consistency into March and jockey for first place.
Al Ahly-Sundowns: The Facts
One of the day’s most heated matches saw Mamelodi Sundowns sneak in with a win over Al Ahly. Although Al Ahly outshot Sundowns 22–5(5–3 shots on target), the South Africans’ win continued their Champions League unbeaten run with Thapelo Morena’s 85th-minute goal. The win bolsters Sundowns’ chances of advancing to the knockout rounds and damages Al Ahly.
Analysis
The simple fact of it is that Al Ahly should have taken their chances better. Although they were creative and pressured Sundowns with their attack, they were not patient enough and were wasteful with their chances. How do you come out with 22 shot attempts, only five of which were on target? Impatience, and some good defending. It was good work from Sundowns, who looks like the undisputed first-place team in Group A. But no amount of last-minute goals, brilliant defending, and smart tactics will overshadow the fact that Al Ahly should have won that game. Now the Egyptian clubs have a big mountain to climb, and it starts with an away match against Sundowns. They(one point) will try to catch up with Al-Merrikh(four points), while Sundowns(seven points) will try to make qualification even likelier.
