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Simba FC join T.P Mazembe, Ahly in ACL quarter-finals

Tanzanian club Simba FC beat former winners AS Vita Club of DR Congo 2-1 in Dar es Salaam on Saturday to reach the African Champions League (ACL) quarter-finals.

Simba needed to win their final game of Group D to be sure of a place in the last eight, and the victory means the Tanzanian side has maintained their perfect Africa Champions League home record this season.

Record eight-time former winners Al Ahly of Egypt and five-time champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo also qualified.

AS Vita Club – who were crowned African champions in 1974 – went ahead against Simba through a Kazadi Kasengu strike after just 13 minutes.

The hosts fought back to make it 1-1 at the break thanks to an equaliser from Mohamed Husseini.

The second half proved tense as Simba searched for the goal to take them to the quarter-finals and it came in the 90th minute as Cletus Chama scored a dramatic winner to go through as Group D runners-up.

Egyptian giants Al Ahly won the group by a point thanks to a 3-0 win over Algeria’s JS Saoura in Alexandria.

In Group C, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe continued their quest for the trophy with a 2-0 win over CS Constantine of Algeria who also progressed despite the defeat.

Jackson Muleka struck for Mazembe from the penalty spot with Tresor Mputu adding a second to secure the win.

Tunisia’s Club Africain beat Ismaily of Egypt 1-0 in Rades in the other Group C match, a result which was not enough to deny Constantine the runners-up spot. Constantine progressed with a superior goal difference over Club Africain.

Horoya of Guinea made sure of their place in the quarter-finals from Group B thanks to a 2-1 win over South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.

Holders Esperance of Tunisia, who won the group and had already qualified, were 2-1 winners away to Zimbabwe’s FC Platinum.

Wydad Casablanca sealed their place in the last eight from Group A with a 1-0 win at home to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, another side who had booked their place last weekend. The victory put Wydad above Sundowns in the group.

Also in Group A, Nigeria’s Lobi Stars ended their campaign with a 2-0 win over Cote d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas in Enugu. Both clubs are eliminated. –BBC

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