Homeless Hilal snatch win to keep perfect group record

JOHANNESBURG: An added-time goal from Jean-Claude Girumugisha snatched a 2-1 CAF Champions League victory for homeless Al Hilal of Sudan over TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday.

Captain Mohamed Abdelrahman had put Hilal ahead by converting a 22nd-minute penalty and Oscar Kabwit levelled with a stunning strike on 64 minutes in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott.

A civil war since April 2023 in Sudan, between the national army and a paramilitary force, forced Hilal to relocate to Mauritania, where they compete in the national league. Hilal are the only one of the 16 title contenders to secure a maximum six points after two group matchdays in the premier African club competition.

They are two points ahead of Mouloudia Alger of Algeria and five above five-time Champions League winners Mazembe in Group A. Pointless Young Africans of Tanzania are last. Defeat completed a nightmare five days for Mazembe, whose last Champions League title came in 2015.

They were due to leave Kinshasa for Nouakchott via Casablanca on Wednesday, but delays due to technical faults with a Moroccan jet meant they departed only on Saturday. Mazembe finally arrived in Mauritania on Sunday, just 15 hours before the kick-off, which limited their preparations to a pre-match warm-up.