Mazembe and Gallants pick convincing wins at home

• TP Mazembe beat real Bamako 3-1
• Debutants Gallants beat AL Akhdar 4-1
• This were the opening matches of the group stage matches

Former Gor Mahia head coach Dylan Kerr masterminded his new employers Marumo Gallants’ powerful start to the group stages of the CAF Champions League as they thrashed Libyan side Al Akhdar 4-1 in South Africa.

Kerr is remembered for having twice seen Gor through to the quarter finals of the Confederation Cup, the furthest they have progressed in the recent past.

And he now seems to inspire Gallants to the same route if his opening match is anything to go by.

Ranga Chivaviro struck twice while Nku Lesiba and Joseph Malongoane added one a piece Gallants earned the heavy win. Akram Alzawi scored the consolation for the Libyan side, but it was merely statistic.

Lesiba broke the deadlock in the fifth minute for Gallants, smashing a shot from inside the box after the Akhdar defense struggled to clear a cross.

The Gallants number seven had two more chances, but saw both saved by the keeper. They were however gifted the second in the 21^st minute when a short back pass from the custodian was intercepted by Katlego Otladisa who squared back for Chivaviro to simply tap home.

They continued with the form in the second half with Chivaviro adding his second with a low shot from outside the area. Nku thought he had scored his second on the hour mark, but the goal was ruled offside.

Gallants dominate at home 

Gallants dominated and had a myriad of chances missed, with Nku the guilty party for making most of the scoring opportunities go begging.

They were handed a reality check when Alzawi scored for Akhdar with a traditional route one football goal. A long kick from the keeper was flicked behind by Salim Baled, Alzawi finishing off with a strong half volleyed shot.

But, Gallants put the game back to comfort with five minutes left when Sibusiso Sibeko broke off on the left and into the box, before squaring unselfishly for Malongoane to finish.

Elsewhere, Congolese giants TP Mazembe also picked up a healthy win at home after seeing off Real de Bamako 3-1 in Lubumbashi.

A pair of overhead kick goals from Jephte Kitambala and Alex Ngonga and Patient Mwamba’s screamer gave Mazembe a well-deserved victory with Souleymane Coulibaly scoring the consolation for the Malian side.

Kitambala broke the deadlock for Mazembe in the 24^th minute when he controlled the ball from a tight angle on the left before going for an audacious overhead kick which dipped behind the goalkeeper. It was a worthy gift for the hosts, who had started faster off the blocks.

Bamako level minutes later

But, they were pegged back just eight minutes later when Coulibaly levelled after deflecting an Ousmane Kamissoko volley back into the area after a poorly defended freekick.

The Ravens, clearly all out for the win, got back into their single goal cushion when Ngonga scored. The Zambian international hit the back of the net with a superb acrobatic kick from an Issama Mpeko cross from the right.

They went to the break with a 2-1 lead.

In the second half, they had some chances to score. Beni Kinzimbi had an opportunity when he dribbled his way to the edge of the box but his left footer was saved for a corner. In the 77^th minute, Ngonga almost scored his second on the half volley after running to an Adam Bossu ball clipped behind the defense, but the keeper saved too.

Substitute Mwamba then put the icing on the cake with a belter of a goal, a half volley from 30 yards out.