The road to the group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26 heated up this weekend as record champions Al Ahly of Egypt, Al Hilal Omdurman of Sudan, Silver Strikers of Malawi, and Mozambique’s Black Bulls all earned narrow victories in the first leg of the second preliminary round.
It was a day of slim margins on Saturday, but each result carried huge implications ahead of next weekend’s decisive return fixtures across Africa.
Al Ahly survive Aigle Noir test in Burundi
Egyptian giants Al Ahly — chasing a record-extending 13th CAF Champions League title — opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Aigle Noir in Bujumbura.
The game’s only goal came in the 36th minute, when Burundian defender Iragi K. accidentally turned the ball into his own net while attempting to clear a cross.
Despite dominating possession, Ahly struggled to find a second goal, but the result gives Jess Thorup’s men a valuable away advantage before hosting the return leg in Cairo.
The win extends Ahly’s unbeaten start to the season and puts them on course for yet another group-stage appearance.
Silver Strikers stun Young Africans
Malawian champions Silver Strikers produced one of the standout results of the weekend, defeating Tanzanian giants Young Africans 1–0 in Lilongwe.
Substitute Austin Yosefe was the hero, heading home in the 76th minute to give the hosts a famous victory.
Yanga, last season’s semi-finalists, will now need to overturn the deficit in Dar es Salaam to progress.
Black Bulls hold off Rivers United
In Maputo, Black Bulls secured a vital 1–0 win over Nigeria’s Rivers United in a cagey affair.
The winner came early in the second half when the Mozambican side finally broke through the visitors’ resistance in the 50th minute through Moctar Diallo.
Rivers United now face a tough task back home in Port Harcourt.
Hilal strike early in Nairobi
Meanwhile in Kenya on Friday, Al Hilal Omdurman edged Police FC 1–0 courtesy of an early strike from Adama Coulibaly in the 20th minute.
The Sudanese side looked composed throughout and managed the game well to secure a professional away win.
The result leaves Police FC needing an upset in the return leg in Omdurman to stay alive in the competition.
JS Kabylie secured am emphatic 3-0 away victory over Monastir of Tunisia in Friday’s other game.
The visitors are now in a good position to finish off the seconds leg at home in Algeria to reach the group stage of the competition.
