Ghana, SA clubs exit Confed Cup

Kenya’s Sofapaka carry on their quest to win the Confederation Cuo

Ghana and South Africa saw their last chance of continental club glory this year disappear on Sunday when AshantiGold and Wits University were eliminated from the Confederation Cup.

AshantiGold triumphed 2-1 at home against Etoile Sahel of Tunisia in western town Obuasi, but it was not enough as they suffering a three-goal hiding in the first leg of a second round tie two weeks ago.

Wits made a much meeker exit from the second-tier African club competition, losing 2-0 to modest AS Adema of Madagascar in Antananarivo after sharing two goals in Johannesburg.

Lamjed Chehoudi put the tie beyond the reach of AshantiGold by opening the scoring on 60 minutes before Theophilus Anubaah responded with two goals inside eight minutes to restore some Ghanaian pride.

The South Africans paid the price for fielding a reserve team in the first leg and boasts from a club official that they would atone on the huge Indian Ocean island proved hollow.

Aduana Stars of Ghana were ousted in the first round of the African Champions League by Wydad Casablanca of Morocco while SuperSport United of South Africa bowed out in the second round to Al-Ahly of Egypt.

Each country was permitted two entries on merit in each competition when the format was changed seven years ago, but consistently poor results have seen both surrender one place.

South Africa boasts the richest, best run league on the continent and Ghana is among the elite, yet weaker football neighbours like Zimbabwe and Mali had two clubs each in the 2011 Champions League and Confederation Cup.

Moghreb Fes, one of three Moroccan contenders for the title, appeared in trouble after being held 0-0 at home by Sahel, hoping to emulate compatriots ASFAN and become the second Nigerien club in a row to reach the group phase.

But Kader Fall gave the visitors a 10th-minute lead and although the Niamey outfit levelled early in the second half, Mohamed Chihani struck a late winner for a 2-1 victory on the day and on aggregate.

Another team to succeed on the road were African rookies Sunshine Stars of Nigeria as Dele Olundare snatched the only goal in Atlantic city Douala three minutes from full-time to complete a double over Tiko United from Cameroon.

Daring Club Motema Pembe of DR Congo left it even later to snatch a 1-0 win over Victors of Uganda in Kinshasa with Nkanu Mbiyavanga scoring in the final minute after a drawn first leg.

Meanwhile Kenya’s Sofapaka thrashed Ismaili of Egypt 4-0 in Nairobi in their second round second leg tie on Saturday.

The convincing win means the Kenyans go through 4-2 on aggregate.

It is the first time a Kenyan side has knocked an Egyptian side out of a continental competition.

Sofapaka were 3-0 up by half-time thanks to goals from Anthony Kimani, striker Bob Mugalia and Titus Mulama.

Patrick Kagogo completed the rout as he found the target five minutes into injury time at the end of the game.

Next up for the Kenyan side will be DR Congo’s St Eloi Lupopo who beat hosts Zambia’s Nchanga Rovers 2-0 in the second leg of their game to complete a 3-0 aggregate win.

Title holders FUS Rabat of Morocco progressed to the last-16 despite a 2-1 loss to Toure Kunda in Senegal.

Mansour Abdelilah opened the scoring close to half-time for FUS, who took a 2-0 advantage into the game, and the home team hit back through goals from Ame Diallo and Cheikh Samb with Thierno Thioune fluffing a penalty in between.

JS Kabylie of Algeria showed their mettle with a 2-1 victory over surprise qualifiers Tevragh Zeina in Mauritania.

Chemseddine Nessakh, who scored the lone first-leg goal that gave the Canaries a brittle advantage, was the Algerian star with a goal in each half before Ould Moktar converted a penalty in Nouakchott.

Rafik Abdessamad struck twice in the final 20 minutes as Difaa al-Jadida of Morocco overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit against Olympique Beja of Tunisia by winning 3-0 with Adil Karouchi the other scorer.