Lee Clark’s second stint as coach of Sudanese club Al Merrikh has come to an end after a 3-1 loss to Egypt’s Al Ahly in the African Champions League.
The former Newcastle United midfielder only took charge of Al Merrikh for the second time on 29 January.
Friday’s loss to the reigning champions left the Sudanese side bottom of Group A and unable to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The win for Al Ahly means they need just a point from their final group game against Sudan’s Al Hilal to progress to the last eight.
South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns qualified for the quarter-finals on Friday with a 4-2 win over Al Hilal.
The win for the South Africans moved them to 13 points and means they are guaranteed to win the group, Al Ahly are second on seven points with the two Sudanese sides on four points.
Also on Friday Raja Casablanca of Morocco and Entente Setif of Algeria progressed to the last eight from Group B.
Raja made sure of their place with a 2-0 win in South Africa over AmaZulu while Entente beat visiting Guinean side Horoya 3-2.
Entente and Raja face each other in the final group game at the beginning of April to decide who finishes top of the group.
On Saturday Nigerians Kingsley Eduwo and Anayo Iwuala helped Tunisian side Esperance to reach the quarter-finals, as they scored the goals in a 3-0 win over Jwaneng Galaxy in Botswana.
Algeria’s CR Belouizdad clinched the other place from Group C thanks to a 2-0 home win over Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel.
The results mean Esperance and Belouizdad are both on 11 points and will now go head-to-head in the final match to decide the group winners.
Last weekend Petro Atletico of Angola and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco were the first teams to reach the knockout stage from Group D.
Wydad Casablanca moved to the top of the group this weekend with 2-1 win in Angola over Sagrada Esperanca while Petro Atletico were held to a goalless draw by visitors Zamalek.
Meanwhile in the Confederation Cup South Afirca’s Olrando Pirates, Al Masry of Egypt, TP Mazembe of the DR Congo and Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya all qualified for the quarter-finals on Sunday.
The quartet join Egyptian side Pyramids who sealed their place in the last eight a week ago.
The final group games are set to be played on the first weekend in April.
Champions League results:
Qualified teams: Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Hilal or Al Ahly, Raja Casablanca, Entente Setif, CR Belouizdad, Esperance, Petro Atletico, Wydad Casablanca
Group A:
- Al Hilal (Sudan) 2-4 Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
- Al Merrikh (Sudan) 1-3 Al Ahly (Egypt)
Group B:
- AmaZulu (South Africa) 0-2 Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
- Entente Setif (Algeria) 3-2 Horoya (Guinea)
Group C:
- CR Belouizdad (Algeria) 2-0 Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
- Jwaneng Galaxy (Botswana) 0-3 Esperance (Tunisia)
Group D:
- Petro Atletico (Angola) 0-0 Zamalek (Egypt)
- Sagrada Esperanca (Angola) 1-2 Wydad Casablanca (Morocco)
Confederation Cup results:
Qualified teams: Pyramids, Al Ahly Tripoli, Orlando Pirates, Al Masry, TP Mazembe
Group A:
- Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya) 1-0 Pyramids (Egypt)
- Zanaco (Zambia) 1-0 CS Sfaxien (Tunisia)
Group B:
- Al Ittihad (Libya) 3-2 Royal Leopard (Eswatini)
- JS Saoura (Algeria) 0-2 Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
Group C:
- Al Masry (Egypt) 2-0 Coton Sport (Cameroon)
- Otoho Oyo (Congo) 2-2 TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
Group D:
- Asec Mimosas (Ivory Coast) 3-0 Simba (Tanzania)
- Gendarmerie Nationale (Niger) 2-2 Renaissance Berkane (Morocco)
Source: BBC
