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Sudanese club Al Hilal, unable to play home games amid ongoing conflict, drew 1-1 with Saint-Eloi Lupopo in Lubumbashi on Sunday to keep their hopes of reaching the CAF Champions League quarter-finals alive.
Abdelrazig Omer gave the visitors the lead after 12 minutes, only for Ramos Kashala to equalise with 11 minutes remaining. The goal marked Kashala’s third of the campaign, while Omer has scored twice.
Hilal sit level on four points with Group C leaders Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, trailing only on goal difference after two rounds.
Former champions Mouloudia Alger of Algeria, coached by ex-Sundowns boss Rulani Mokwena, and Lupopo have one point apiece.
Since April 2023, Hilal have been unable to host CAF matches in Sudan due to civil war between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced 12 million people.
Last season, Hilal competed as guests in the Mauritanian league and will join the Rwandan championship in 2025-26 alongside Omdurman rivals Al Merrikh.
To reach the CAF Champions League, the club won their national championship in army-controlled northeastern Sudan.
In Group D, Stade Malien of Mali climbed level with Petro Luanda of Angola after a 2-1 win over Simba of Tanzania in Bamako.
Cameroonians Taddeus Nkeng and Ismaila Simpara gave Stade a two-goal cushion by the midway point of the first half, while Neo Maema reduced the deficit for Simba in the 54th minute.
Nkeng later missed a penalty, and Simba finished the match with 10 men after Alhassane Kante’s red card.
Stade and Petro now share four points each, with four-time African champions Esperance of Tunisia on two points and Simba yet to score.
The CAF Champions League mini-league resumes on January 23, five days after the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
