- Wydad now top Group D after the huge win
- Petro remain second in the group
- Esperance finish second in Group C after beating CRB
Wydad Athletic Club and Esperance secured wins on the final day of their CAF Champions League group stage action to secure top spots in their respective groups.
At the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca, Wydad were in disastrous form as they thrashed Petro de Luanda 5-1 to cement their hold on top spot in Group D.
Juvhel Tsoumou gave the Moroccans the lead in the 11th minute of the match when he rose highest inside the box to nod home a corner from Red Jaadi.
A minute to the half hour mark, the Moroccan side were comfortably cruising at 2-0 when Achraf Dari finished off unconventionally off his shoulder, rising to meet a cross from Aymane El Hassouni.
Three minutes later, Wydad who were in total control of proceedings strolled into a comfortable 3-0 lead when Zouheir El Moutaraji added on to the goal scoring chart with a clever finish, beating the keeper with a little feign before slamming the ball home.
The home side went to the break with a comfortable 3-0 lead, with erstwhile undefeated Petro stunned.
In the second half, WYdad didn’t show signs of letting off and in the 56th minute, El Hassouni got himself on the scoresheet as well when his deflected shot inside the box trickled inside the net.
Petro pulled one back in the 63rd minute when central defender Pedro Pinto headed home from close range after Yano recycled the ball into the box from a setpiece.
But the home side all but sealed the victory in style in the 71st minute through Muaid Ellafi’s filthy dink after the forward had raced on to a brilliant through ball from El Moutaraji.
The win sees Wydad finish off the group with 15 points, four ahead of Petro.
Esperance celebrate their win over Etoile
At the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Rades, home side Esperance also ensured top spot in Group C with a 2-1 win over Algerian side CR Belouizdad.
The Tunisian giants came from behind to secure the win, moving to 14 points top of the standings while Belouizdad remained second with 11, both sides having already qualified.
Houssem Mrezigue had given the visitors a shock second minute lead, but Esperance gathered themselves together and drew level in the 13th minute when Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida finished off a pass from Anayo Iwuala.
Four minutes later, the Nigerian Iwuala would score the second and what would be the winning goal, as the Tunisian side preserved the lead to the end.
In the early kick off, Mamelodi Sundowns were also in no room for error as they thrashed Al Merrikh 3-0 to finish the group phase unbeaten.
Mamelodi Sundowns celebrate their win
Sundowns were off to a perfect start when Maluleka broke the deadlock with an emphatic header after quarter of an hour, finishing off a cross from Aubrey Modiba.
They held on to the 1-0 lead till the second half, when they returned with as much venom. They doubled their lead in the 66th minute when Ralani made the most of a defensive error at the back for Merrikh before planting the ball home.
Six minutes later, Erasmus sealed the game with the third goal off a well taken volley, some more nervous defending from Merrikh gifting the home side a goal.
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