AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2015 - PRELIMINARIES - 1st leg - results so far
African Chamopions League 2015
Moroccan club Raja Casablanca made an impressive start to their 2015 African Champions League campaign by winning the first leg of their preliminary round tie 4:0 against Congolese visitors Diables Noirs.
A couple of late goals sealed a convincing victory for the three-times former African champions, with Adil Karrouchy and Abdeljalil Jbira scoring in stoppage time.
Ivorian Kouko Guehi had put Raja ahead on 10 minutes with Nigerian Christian Osaguona adding a second.
Raja should comfortably survive the return match in Brazzaville this month to set up a potential round-of-32 fixture with South Africans Kaizer Chiefs.
Moghreb Tetouan, the other Moroccan challengers for the biggest prize in African club football, are in trouble after a 2:0 loss to CO Bamako in Mali.
Abdallah Diarra scored both of Bamako's goals, converting an early second-half penalty and scoring from a free kick that caught goalkeeper Mohammed El-Yousfi napping.
Defeat continues a run of disappointing international results for Moghreb, who were shocked by New Zealanders Auckland City last December in the Club World Cup in Morocco.
Al-Ahly Tripoli edged Egyptians Smouha 1:0 in a fixture moved to Tunis because of escalating Libyan unrest.
Mohamed Al-Ghannoudi converted an early second-half penalty for Ahly, who are coached by former Dutch World Cup star Ruud Krol.
Ghanaians Asante Kotoko received a walkover after Sierra Leoneans East End Lions withdrew.
The preliminary round continues this weekend with former title-holders Enyimba of Nigeira taking on relatively weak and inexperienced opponents, Buffles Borgou of Benin.
Enyimba, continental champions in 2003 and 2004, were expected to go far in the competition last year. But they lost at home to Real Bamako of Mali and a second leg recovery could not prevent an early exit.
Kano Pillars, the other half of a twin-pronged Nigerian challenge, tackle Al-Malakia in South Sudan.
The northern club are guided by Okey Emordi, coach of Enyimba when they retained the Champions League title in 2004.
The South African challenge will also be strong.
It is 20 years since Orlando Pirates became the only South African winners of the competition, and they - along with Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns - will also believe they can go all the way this year.
An attractive east African fixture pits Azam, who ended the Young Africans and Simba's monopoly of the Tanzanian title last year, against vastly experienced Sudanese visitors El-Merrikh.