Egyptian giants Zamalek toil in Confederation Cup ties

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Egyptian giants Zamalek of Egypt suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat to Ethiopia's Welayta Dicha in the first leg of their African Confederation Cup last-32 fixture.

Zamalek have been African champions five times - a record bettered only by their Egyptian neighbours Al Ahly - but they have not lifted an African trophy since winning the 2003 Super Cup.

Making only their second appearance in the second-tier Confederation Cup, they were beaten by a side playing in Africa for the first time this season.

Ethiopian Bezabeh Meleyo and Egyptian Emad Fathy exchanged first-half goals and Yared Dawit scored the winner 12 minutes from time.

Despite the setback, Zamalek look set to emerge overall winners in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.

Another Egyptian club, Al Masry, were also in east Africa and drew 2-2 with Simba of Tanzania in a Dar es Salaam thriller.

Three of the four goals came from penalties with John Bocco and Ugandan Emmanuel Okwi converting spot-kicks for the hosts and Ahmed Shokry for the visitors.

Egypt football legend Hossam Hassan coaches Masry and the Port Said club seem likely to advance.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, CARA Brazzaville, who conquered Africa 44 years ago, trounced newcomers Ben Guerdene of Tunisia 3-0 after making a great start by scoring after only three minutes.

Cabwey Kivutuka got the Brazzaville outfit on the scoreboard, Christ Ngoma Mbo netted midway through the opening half and Racine Loamba sealed victory 11 minutes from time.

Nigeria's Enyimba, who won back-to-back African Champions League titles in 2003 and 2004, look set for a place in the play-offs round during April after a 2-0 win away to Energie of Benin.

A fifth-minute own-goal by Lanignan Bolarinwa put the home team on the back foot and they fell further behind soon after when Austin Oladepo struck.

On Tuesday, African giants Raja Casablanca of Morocco and Club Africain of Tunisia - clubs expected to go far in the 2018 African Confederation Cup - found themselves in trouble.

Three-time African champions Raja missed a penalty and conceded a late goal to only draw 1-1 at home against Nouadhibou of Mauritania.

Club Africain fell 3-1 at Renaissance Berkane of Morocco and the result was nearly worse for the visitors who scored two minutes into stoppage time.

Morocco trounced Mauritania 4-0 in the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) opener two months ago and a similar score-line was expected in favour of Raja Casablanca.

But the hosts could not break down the Nouadhibou defence and when they were awarded a penalty just before half-time, Abderrahim Achchakir had his kick saved.

The Moroccan club finally broke the deadlock on 70 minutes when young substitute Mohamed Khaldane finished off a Mahmoud Benhalib cross.

A mistake by Ayoub Joulale gifted Samba el Voullany an equaliser eight minutes later and the outsiders will be dreaming of claiming another prized scalp when the clubs meet again.

Former African champions Club Africain, who reached the Confederation Cup semi-finals last year, fell three goals behind away to Renaissance Berkane of Morocco with 14 minutes remaining.

Mohamed Aziz and Togolese Fo Doh Laba scored in the opening half and Lahcen Khamiss added a third Berkane goal.

Veteran Saber Khalifa reduced the arrears two minutes into additional time when he converted a penalty and set up an intriguing return match in Tunis next weekend.

On a night of upsets, South Africa's SuperSport United shrugged off disastrous domestic form to force a 0-0 draw at Petro Atletico of Angola, who had hit five in their previous continental home match.

Having won just three of their last 20 matches, SuperSport - the 2017 Confederation Cup runners-up - must have feared the worst when they faced Petro.

Their dismal run of results triggered the departure of coach Eric Tinkler last week with Zimbabwe-born assistant Kaitano Tembo taking temporary charge.

SuperSport held their own despite giving several young fringe players starting places, but were lucky when Tresor de Sousa was foiled by the woodwork to drawn 0-0.

African Confederation Cup last-32 first leg fixtures:

Tuesday

Petro Atletico (Angola) 0-0 SuperSport Utd (South Africa)

DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo) 1-1 Deportivo Niefang (Eq Guinea)

La Mancha (Congo Brazzaville) 3-0 Al Ahly Shendy (Sudan)

Belouizdad (Algeria) 3-0 Nkana (Zambia)

Renaissance Berkane (Morocco) 3-1 Club Africain (Tunisia)

Raja Casablanca (Morocco) 1-1 Nouadhibou (Mauritania)

Wednesday

Costa do Sol (Mozambique) 0-1 Cape Town City (South Africa)

Energie (Benin) 0-2 Enyimba (Nigeria)

Djoliba (Mali) 1-0 APR (Rwanda)

Port Louis (Mauritius) 0-2 Fosa Juniors (Madagascar)

Maniema Union (DR Congo) 2-2 USM Alger (Algeria)

Olympic Star (Burundi) 0-0 Al Hilal Obied (Sudan)

Al Ittihad (Libya) 1-0 Akwa Utd (Nigeria)

CARA (Congo Brazzaville) 3-0 Ben Guerdane (Tunisia)

Simba (Tanzania) 2-2 Al Masry (Egypt)

Welayta Dicha (Ethiopia) 2-1 Zamalek (Egypt)