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JOHANNESBURG. — Holders Al Ahly of Egypt were sensationally eliminated from the African Champions League after losing 3-2 at home to namesakes Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya in the final knockout round on Saturday. Al Ahly, title winners a record eight times, missed out on the group phase after being beaten 4-2 on aggregate after the second leg which was hosted in Alexandria because Al Ahly are prohibited from playing in Cairo by Egypt’s security officials.

Al Ahly had pulled back the 1-0 deficit from last weekend’s first leg, which was played in Tunisia because of the tenuous security situation in Benghazi, early on in the return.

But Mohamed Naguib’s goal was soon cancelled out to leave the Libyans level at half-time. Edward Sadomba’s Al Ahly Benghazi scored two more goals after the break before a late consolation for the Egyptians.

Meanwhile,  Kaizer Chiefs were eliminated from the CAF Champions League in the final qualifying round last night, despite securing a 2-0 win over Congolese outfit AS Vita at FNB Stadium.

Amakhosi lost 3-2 on aggregate after going down 3-0 in the first-leg clash in Kinshasa.
The visitors opened up the game from the first whistle, with Chiefs keeper Reyaad Pieterse tipping a thunderous Nzinga Luvumbu strike over the crossbar just 45 seconds into the encounter, before Amakhosi took control.

Zimbabwean striker Kingston Nkhatha hit the back of the net in the fourth minute but the goal was disallowed after a controversial offside call by the match officials.

There was no denying Zimbabwean striker Knowledge Musona, however, when he charged into the box five minutes later and slipped the ball past Herve Lomboto with only the keeper to beat. — AFP.