The first leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League quarter-finals took place over the weekend, as Africa’s elite clubs began their battle for the continent’s most prestigious club trophy.
The round produced thrilling encounters across the continent, with two home victories recorded while the other two fixtures ended in closely contested draws, leaving plenty to play for ahead of the second legs.
The opening match saw South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns host Malian champions Stade Malien at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium. The Brazilians delivered a commanding performance, cruising to a comfortable 3–0 victory after 90 minutes. Goals from Iqraam Rayners, Khuliso Mudau and Luis Muníz ensured Sundowns took a strong advantage into the return leg.
Another intriguing clash saw Moroccan side AS FAR Rabat face Egyptian outfit Pyramids FC in a match that ended 1–1. The hosts started brightly and took the lead in the 8th minute through captain Ahmed Hammoudan. However, the visitors showed resilience and experience, leveling the score in the 52nd minute when Mahmoud Zakaria found the back of the net to secure an important away draw.
In another quarter-final encounter, Sudanese giants Al Hilal Omdurman travelled to Morocco to face RS Berkane. The visitors made an early statement when Abdulrazeq Omar opened the scoring in the 8th minute. Berkane, however, refused to give up and their persistence paid off deep into stoppage time when Mounir Chouiar converted a dramatic penalty in the 99th minute to secure a 1–1 draw.
The final match of the round took place in Tunis, where Tunisian heavyweights Espérance de Tunis hosted Egyptian giants Al Ahly SC. In a tightly contested encounter between two of Africa’s most successful clubs, the home side edged the game 1–0. Defender Mohamed Tougai calmly converted a penalty in the 73rd minute to give Espérance a crucial advantage heading into the second leg.
With three of the four ties still finely balanced, everything remains to play for when the teams meet again in the return fixtures later this week. The race for a place in the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League is far from over, and fans across the continent can expect even more drama in the decisive second-leg clashes.