كتب : Omar AbdelAziz
North African trio Ahli of Egypt, Esperance and Etoile Sahel of Tunisia seem to have recorded the most valuable score lines, while Sudanese outfit Al-Hilal and Libyan minnows Al-Ittihad crashed to depressive away defeats.
Royal Armed Forces of Morocco and Algerian club J.S. Kabylie might have a chance of making up for their 1-0 narrow away defeats, while Wydad Casablanca will face a tough mission to cancel out their 2-0 away defeat to ASEC Mimosas.
The Ivorian giants are a step closer to reaching the quarter finals following a brace from Ghanaian under 23 international, Nafiu Iddrisu, to down Wydad on Sunday.
TP Mazembe of Congo and Cameroonian team Cotton Sport edged Kabylie and Royal Armed Forces respectively by the same one-goal deficit courtesy of two spot kicks to settle the clashes.
In Lafia, Hilal came out as biggest losers after being dumped 3-0 to Nigerian Champions League debutants Nasarawa United, Ittihad of Libya were a little fortunate to score the vital away goal when they lost 3-1 to Etoile Congo in Brazzaville.
The only Arab team to have survived the away defeat on Sunday was Etoile Sahel who managed to hold Togolese Maranatha Fiokpo to a goalless draw in Wome.
On Saturday, holders Ahli were suddenly ripped of their comfortable two-goal cushion in Pretoria to end up the clash against South African champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, in a 2-2 draw secured in the last 10 minutes.
Esperance started the last 16 campaign with a wide 3-0 victory to Young Africans of Tanzania in Tunis on Friday, as the Tunisian giants were the only winner among the eight Arab clubs in the competition.