Nigeria’s Shooting Stars SC were among the home winners, beating Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien 1-0 in Abeokuta through Lucky Emmanuel. That slender lead travels to Sfax for the second leg. Zambia’s Red Arrows also took a strong first-leg grip, defeating Madagascar’s FC Rouge 2-0.
The day’s heaviest scoreline came in Togo’s path. ASKO de Kara crushed AS Zam 5-0 away, a result that all but decides that tie before the return. Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli were similarly emphatic, winning 3-0 at KMKM SC. Angola were well represented: 1º de Agosto won 2-0 at Eswatini’s Green Mamba, and Kabuscorp do Palanca won 2-0 at Namibia’s UNAM.
Mozambique’s Black Bulls took a 1-0 away win at Comoros side Atomic Ngome. In Guinea, Hafia FC recovered for a 2-2 draw at AS Douanes. Mali’s FC Diarra beat Ghana’s Nations FC 1-0.
Saturday results (first preliminary round, first leg)
- Atomic Ngome 0-1 Black Bulls
- KMKM SC 0-3 Al Ahly Tripoli
- Red Arrows 2-0 FC Rouge
- Green Mamba 0-2 1º de Agosto
- Shooting Stars 1-0 CS Sfaxien
- UNAM 0-2 Kabuscorp
- AS Zam 0-5 ASKO de Kara
- AS Douanes 2-2 Hafia
- FC Diarra 1-0 Nations FC
The second legs follow next weekend. Away goals still count in CAF club qualifying, so Shooting Stars’ clean sheet in Abeokuta and Red Arrows’ two-goal cushion are particularly useful. ASKO de Kara and Al Ahly Tripoli can approach their home returns with the ties almost closed. Hafia must now finish the job against Douanes, while Nations FC need at least a one-goal win in Ghana to force extra time or penalties.
Saturday’s card underlined the spread of the Confederation Cup’s opening round: established North and Southern African clubs taking control on the road, and a Nigerian side giving itself a platform against one of Tunisia’s traditional continental names.