With just 3 quarterfinal spots remaining to be filled in the 2020-21 CAF Champions League on the final matchday, CR Belouizdad, Kaizer Chiefs and MC Alger were the teams to book their places in the last 8 of Africa’s top club football competition. 

CR Belouizdad joined Mamelodi Sundowns as the qualifiers from Group B before Kaizer Chiefs and MC Alger secured their spots from Group C and D, respectively to make it to the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League.

Algerian champions CR Belouizdad earned the win they needed over hosts Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa to clinch a place in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals.

Amir Sayoud took his goal tally to an impressive seven in the competition when he gave Belouizdad the lead over Sundowns in Pretoria after 29 minutes.

That advantage was doubled just before the interval as Ahmed Gasmi headed home a cross from Zinelaabidine Boulakhoua.

Mouloudia Club d’Alger (MC Alger) and Kaizer Chiefs secured the final two CAF Champions League quarterfinal berths after the group phase wrapped up across the continent on Saturday, 10th April.

This was Kaizer Chiefs’ first CAF Champions League appearance so it is a fantastic achievement to qualify for the quarterfinals on their first attempt.

 

 

The two teams complete the entire set of the 8 qualifying teams for the quarterfinals. Here are the final 8 clubs of the 2020-21 CAF Champions League:

  1. Simba SC (Tanzania)
  2. Al Ahly (Egypt) – Defending Champions
  3. Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
  4. CR Belouizdad (Algeria)
  5. Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
  6. ES Tunis (Tunisia)
  7. MC Alger (Algeria)
  8. Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa)

 

 

MC Alger just about managed to qualify Group D wrapped up with early-evening games in Rades and Cairo. The Green and Red did just enough to edge out a resurgent Zamalek to hold onto 2nd place by drawing 1-1 with Esperance Tunis at the Olympic Stadium.

The Algerians were on the verge of a shock elimination having needed only 1 point from their last two games. They found themselves trailing to the Blood and Gold’s opening goal from Nassim Ben Khalifa, but an equaliser midway through the second half from Abdenour Belkheir ensured qualification alongside their opponents, who topped Group D.

Here is how the final matchday of the CAF CL went about.

Group A

Group A was already done and dusted with Simba and Al Ahly securing their places in the final 8 of the competition but it was a matter of pride at stake for the African champions Al Ahly.

At the Salam Stadium in Cairo, Al Ahly claimed a 1-0 win over Simba SC to avenge their defeat in the earlier match in Tanzania.

The Egyptian champions ended their group stage campaign in 2nd with 11 points, 2 behind their opponents.

AS Vita Club defeated Al Merrikh 3-1 in the other match of Group A at the Stade des Martyrs in Kinshasa. This result ensured that Vita Club finished 3rd in the group with 7 points.

Here is how Group A finished:

  1. Simba SC (Tanzania) – 13 points (Q)
  2. Al Ahly (Egypt) – 11 points (Q)
  3. AS Vita Club (DR Congo) – 7 points
  4. Al-Merrikh (Sudan) – 2 points

Group B

CR Belouizdad joined already-qualified Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarterfinals after beating the South African champions 2-0 to secure their spot as well.

The win saw Belouizdad qualify as Group B runners-up behind Sundowns who ended up as the winners of Group B.

 

 

TP Mazembe claimed a 2-1 win over Al Hilal in the other Group B match, which was a dead-wood battle at the Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi.

The result, however, meant that the DR Congolese giants Mazembe finished third in Group B, while Sudanese side Al Hilal slipped down to the last spot as both teams failed to qualify for the last eight.

Here is how Group B finished:

  1. Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) – 13 points (Q)
  2. CR Belouizdad (Algeria) – 9 points (Q)
  3. TP Mazembe (DR Congo) – 5 points
  4. Al-Hilal (Sudan) – 4 points

Group C

In Group C, Wydad AC had already secured their place in the quarterfinals of Africa’s elite club competition. It was the debutant South African club Kaizer Chiefs who edged past Guinea club Horoya AC on the head-to-head rule as both teams finished equal on points with 9.

Wydad guaranteed their place on top of Group C with a 2-0 victory over bottom of the table side Petro de Luanda. This took the Moroccan giants to 13 points, having conceded just 1 goal in the group stage.

 

 

Kaizer Chiefs drew 2-2 against Horoya as both teams ended up equal on points. The South Africans went through on the head-to-head result having scored 2 away goals.

This is how Group C finished:

  1. Wydad AC (Morocco) – 13 points (Q)
  2. Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) – 9 points (Q)
  3. Horoya (Guinea) – 9 points
  4. Petro de Luanda (Angola) – 1 point

Group D

Apart from the draw between ES Tunis and MC Alger in Group D, Zamalek did all they could to advance at the expense of MC Alger, but a 4-1 win over Senegal’s Teungueth at the Cairo International Stadium was ultimately not enough as Alger avoided defeated against Esperance.

 

 

Mahmoud Hamdi Elwensh and Marwan Hamdi, both bagged braces for Zamalek but the Egyptian giants left too much to do towards the end of the group stages, looking out of sorts at the start of the tournament.

Here is how Group D ended up:

  1. ES Tunis (Tunisia) – 11 points (Q)
  2. MC Alger (Algeria) – 9 points (Q)
  3. Zamalek (Egypt) – 8 points
  4. Teungueth (Senegal) – 4 points