Final day victories by USM Alger and Rayon Sports over Kenya’s Gor Mahia and Tanzania’s Young Africa respectively on Wednesday saw the former qualify for the quarter finals from Group D.
USMA finished top of the group after beating Gor Mahia 2-1 in Algiers while in the corresponding tie in Kigali, Rayon Sport edged Yanga as Young Africans are nicknamed by a solitary goal to finish second on nine points, two of USMA. Gor Mahia had eight points and Yanga at the bottom on four points.
It was the first time a Rwandese club had made it to the knockout stage of a major continental club championship. And it was Bonfilscaleb Bimenyimana’s 19th minute strike that cemented the current generation of Rayon into the history books of Rwanda football.
Backed an enthusiastic crowd who defied a downpour before and during the match, Rayon held to claim victory and book a date at the table of men for the next stage.
Elsewhere in Algiers, Kenyan champions Gor failed in their bid to reach the knockout stage after succumbing to a defeat in a game they badly needed to win.
After nine minutes, USMA should have gone 1-0 up when they were handed a penalty after Gor skipper Harun Shakava handled inside the box. However, Gor’s third choice keeper Frederick Odhiambo made a save with his feet from Mohammed Meftah.
Despite losing the penalty, the Algerians continued with their early press and Yaya Faouzi came close when the ball was spread to his path on the right unmarked, but his shot was disappointing rolling wide.
Nonetheless, their labour bore fruit. Gor were punished for their zonal marking that left Prince Ibara isolated on the right, the lanky forward looping a header over keeper Odhiambo from a corner on 36 minutes.
The home side, fully backed by a group of resilient and noisy fans almost made it 2-0 two minutes later but keeper Odhiambo made a good point blank save to deny Faouzi Yaya’s header from point blank.
Gor had two chances late in the half with Jacques Tuyisenge’s shot from inside the area going straight to goalie Mohamed Zemmamouche before he set up Francis Kahata at the stroke of halftime for his shot to be blocked for a corner.
USM kept the pressure in the second half and were especially dangerous on set pieces. They twice came close, first Abderaouf Benguit’s shot blocked for a corner while Meftah came close with a curling effort that went inches close over the bar.
Gor made attacking changes, Samuel Onyango coming on for Karim Nizigiyimana as Gor went three at the back with an urgency of getting an equalizer and probable winner.
They kept the push and came very close after 78minutes when Harun Shakava’s freekick from range was well saved by the keeper who also bounced back to keep away the rebound from Tuyisenge.
Immediately, the home side feeling insecure with Gor’s attacking, made it 2-0 on 81 minutes with two substitutes combining when Moktar Benmoussa squared back a pass for Sayoud to slam home unmarked at the edge of the six yard box.
On the turn after the restart, Gor, halved the deficit when Tuyisenge nodded the ball home from a Kahata corner and despite the keeper managing to put a palm on it, it had already crossed the line.
Gor surged winning freekicks from dangerous positions, but USMA defended with discipline to seal their place in the last eight.
Story by CAF