Staff Writers
Harare – Exactly 38 years since they debuted in Confederation of African Football club competitions, Zambian glamour club Nkana FC have finally been beaten at home.
The Kalampa’s scintillating run – the longest unbeaten home record by any team in Africa – was halted by Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca in a CAF Confederation Cup group stage game this past week.
The 0-2 loss not only ended Nkana’s proud record, but it also leaves them in danger of failing to qualify for the knockout stage as they have zero points to their name in this campaign.
Conversely, Raja Casablanca are joint top of the group with Egyptian side Pyramids on six after two rounds of matches.
Tanzanian side Namungo, just like Nkana are also yet to pick any points.
Nkana debuted in CAF club competitions in1983 and for 64 home matches they never tasted defeat. They won 45 of their matches in front of their own fans and drew 19 times.
While Nkana will have to dig deep to recover from two straight defeats in this CAF Confederation Cup campaign, Southern Africa’s other representatives in the competition – Orlando Pirates of South Africa – are on much better footing.
Orlando Pirates dismissed Enyimba of Nigeria 2-1 at home to shoot to the top of Group A with four points to their name.
Enyimba and Al-Ahly are both on three points while ES Sétif sit at the basement with a single point after two games.
Like Nkana, Zambia’s NAPSA are also sitting at the bottom of their group, albeit with a single point.
NAPSA are three points behind leaders JS Kabylie of Algeria with whom they drew 2-2 midweek.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns this week became one of the first clubs to secure a berth in the knock-out stages of the CAF Champions League with two rounds of matches to spare.
The 10-time domestic league champions booked a place in the last eight with a 1-0 win over TP Mazembe of the DRC.
A 28th minute strike by Lebohang Maboe saw Sundowns completing a double over TP Mazembe, to register four successive wins of the 2020-21 Champions League.
Sundowns are top of Group B on 12 points, nine clear of second-placed Sudan’s Al Hilal who played to a nil-all draw against CR Belouizdad of Algeria.
It has been a fine year for Sundowns as their four victories have been powered by 10 goals scored and only two conceded.
Esperance du Tunis also made the knock-out stages after the Tunisian giants secured a 1-0 away victory over Zamalek of Egypt.
But South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs made life difficult by being held 0-0 by a previously pointless Petro Atletico de Luanda of Angola.
Kaizer Chiefs are third in their group with five points after four games, the same as Horoya of Guinea but with an inferior goal difference.
