Johannesburg – Any hope shock CAF Confederation Cup group qualifiers Royal Leopard from Eswatini had of going further in the competition disappeared on Sunday when they lost 2-1 to Libyan visitors Al Ittihad.
It took Muad Eisay just two minutes to put the Tripoli outfit ahead against a club of part-timers funded by the Eswatini police force and Omar al Khouja doubled the lead before half-time.
An Abdelaziz Bin Ali own-goal seven minutes into the second half offered a chance for Leopard, but they were unable to find the net and suffered a third straight Group B defeat.
It did not help Leopard that were forced to host Ittihad in Mbombela, a city in neighbouring South Africa, because no stadium in the tiny kingdom meets international standards.
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Maximum points lifted 2010 Confederation Cup semi-finalists Ittihad to top spot with seven, Orlando Pirates of South Africa have six, JS Saoura of Algeria four and Leopard are pointless.
Although third in a group where only the winners and runners-up advance to the quarter-finals, debutants Saoura could be the team to watch as they still have to host Ittihad and Pirates.
Leopard stunned another Algerian club, 2021 Confederation Cup runners-up JS Kabylie, in a play-off last month, winning on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw.
The Confederation Cup is the African equivalent of the Europa League and has been won by many top clubs, including TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Raja Casablanca (twice each) and Al Ahly and Zamalek of Egypt.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Unsplash
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