Al Hilal 1-0 St Eloi Lupopo Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 MC Alger Al Hilal Omdurman and Mamelodi Sundowns booked their places in the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions Leaguefollowing crucial Group C victories on Saturday. Al Hilal finished top of Group C after a hard-fought 1-0 win over St Eloi Lupopo at Amahoro Stadium. The decisive moment came in the sixth minute when Congolese defender Steven Ebuela found the net, giving Al Hilal an early advantage they defended resolutely for the remainder of the match. That early breakthrough shaped a tense contest. Lupopo, nicknamed the Railwaymen, were forced onto the front foot but struggled to turn possession into clear-cut opportunities. The game’s rhythm was further disrupted by disciplinary issues. Lupopo were reduced to 10 men just before half-time when their Senegalese defender Mendy was shown a red card in the 45th minute. With the numerical advantage, Al Hilal controlled possession and limited Lupopo’s threat in the final third, sealing top spot in the group. Meanwhile, Sundowns sealed a 2-0 victory over MC Alger at Loftus Versfeld Stadium to advance as runners-up. Both goals came from Colombian forward Brayan Leon, who has made an immediate impact since his January arrival. Leon opened the scoring inside six minutes, reacting quickest to convert a rebound after his initial effort was saved. He doubled the lead just after the hour mark, turning in a low cross from Aubrey Modiba at the near post. The result brings relief to Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, whose side needed victory to progress. He guided the team to last season’s final, where they were beaten by Egyptian side Pyramids FC. Final Group C Standings Al Hilal – 11 points Mamelodi Sundowns – 9 points MC Alger – 7 points St Eloi Lupopo – 5 points
