The China Mail - Shalulile rescues Sundowns as FAR Rabat, Pyramids qualify

Shalulile equalised, then forced an own goal in added time that gave South African outfit Sundowns a 2-1 win over Maniema Union from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasa.

FAR Rabat clinched a last-eight spot after drawing 1-1 with fellow Moroccans Raja Casablanca in the other Group B clash, that also included an own goal.

Egyptian outfit Pyramids secured a top-two finish in Group D with an added-time goal delivering a 1-0 win over Angolan team Sagrada Esperanca in Luanda.

Emam Ashour from defending champions Al Ahly scored a second-half hat-trick as the Egyptian giants came from behind to win 3-1 in Group C against Stade Abidjan in the Ivory Coast.

Jephte Kitambala took the ball from the Maniema half before beating goalkeeper Ronwen Williams at his near post to give Maniema a first-half lead in a matchday 5 clash.

The Congolese retained the lead until veteran Namibian forward Shalulile came off the bench in the closing stages and had an immediate impact.

He levelled on 83 minutes with a close-range header and his pressure led Exaucia Moanda to push the ball into his own net in the fifth additional minute.

- Goalkeeper blunder -

FAR Rabat scored first in Meknes as veteran Raja goalkeeper Anas Zniti pushed a deflection from a teammate into his own net following a corner late in the first half.

Nawfel Zerhouni equalised for Raja on 77 minutes from a penalty, sending goalkeeper Ayoub el Khayati the wrong way.

FAR have nine points, Sundowns eight, Raja five and eliminated Maniema three in what has proved the most competitive of the four mini-leagues

Sundowns host FAR next Sunday and a draw will ensure qualification. However, if the Pretoria club lose and Raja beat Maniema in Casablanca head-to-head records will decide who advances.

Marwan Hamdy scored his first goal of the Champions League campaign deep in added time to take expensively assembled Pyramids into the knockout stage for the first time.

Tunisian club Esperance -- runners-up to Ahly last season -- will join Pyramids if they defeat winless Malian side Djoliba in Bamako on Sunday.

Ahly bounced back after surrendering a Champions League record 27-match unbeaten run last weekend to condemn Stade to a fourth loss in five matches.

Ashour scored from a tap-in, a header and a close-range shot after Saint-Jean Kore had given the Ivorians a surprise lead at half-time.

If Orlando Pirates beat Algerian visitors Chabab Belouizdad in Soweto on Sunday, the South African side and Ahly will secure last-eight places.

K.Leung--ThChM