Confederation Cup: Holders TP Mazembe through to group phase

TP Mazembe won the Confederation Cup for the first time last season

The African Confederation Cup holders, TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, booked their place in the group phase of this year's tournament with a 0-0 draw away to JS Kabylie in Algeria on Sunday.

Mazembe - who won the home leg of their play-off 2-0 last weekend - held off Kabylie's challenge to continue the defence of their crown.

There was a big shock in Abidjan as former African Champions League winners, Asec Mimosas, were knocked out by CF Mounana of Gabon.

Mimosas went into their home leg needing to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, but despite fielding a side including the likes of Burkina Faso star Aristide Bancé, the match ended 0-0 with Mounana going through 2-1 on aggregate.

Also on Sunday, Platinum Stars of South Africa squeezed past another Ivorian side AS Tanda to progress 5-4 on penalties after their tie had ended 2-2 on aggregate.

The South Africans went into their home leg in Rustenburg trailing 2-0 overall, but fought back to take the tie to spot-kicks and book their place in the group phase.

It was much more straightforward for another South African side, SuperSport United, who overwhelmed Liberia's Barrack Young Controllers 5-0 in Pretoria.

A hat-trick from Jeremy Brockie helped SuperSport United take the tie 6-1 on aggregate.

Sudan's Al Hilal Obeid defeated Ports Authority of the Gambia 3-0 at home to progress 4-1 on aggregate.

Confederation Cup fixtures:

First leg:

Sunday:

• Rivers Utd (Nigeria) 2-0 Rayon Sports (Rwanda) (Delayed due to commemoration of the Rwanda genocide)

Second legs:

Friday:

• CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) 2-0 Rail Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) (CS Sfaxien win 4-1 on aggregate)

Saturday:

• Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland) 4-2 AC Leopards (Congo) (Mbabane Swallows win 4-3 on aggregate)

• Zesco Utd (Zambia) 3-0 Enugu Rangers (Nigeria) (Zesco United win 5-2 on aggregate)

• Recreativo Libolo (Angola) 0-0 CNaPS Sport (Madagascar) (1-1 on aggregate. Recreativo Libolo win on away goals)

• Club Africain (Tunisia) 4-2 AS Port Louis (Mauritius) (Club Africain win 6-3 on aggregate)

• MAS Fes (Morocco) 1-1 FUS Rabat (Morocco) (FUS Rabat win 3-2 on aggregate)

• Smouha (Egypt) 1-0 Wits (South Africa) (Smouha win 1-0 on aggregate)

• Mouloudia Alger (Algeria) 4-0 Young Africans (Tanzania) (Mouloudia Alger win 4-1 on aggregate)

• Al Masry (Egypt) v KCCA (Uganda) (1-1 on aggregate. KCCA win 5-4 on penalties)

• Ittihad Tanger (Morocco) 3-2 Horoya (Guniea) (Horoya win 4-3 on aggregate)

Sunday:

• Platinum Stars (South Africa) 2-0 AS Tanda (Ivory Coast) (2-2 on aggregate. Platinum Stars win 5-4 on penalties)

• Asec Mimosas (Ivory Coast) 0-0 CF Mounana (Gabon) (CF Mounana win 2-1 on aggregate)

• SuperSport Utd (South Africa) 5-0 Barrack Young Controllers (Liberia) (SuperSport United win 6-1 on aggregate)

• JS Kabylie (Algeria) 0-0 TP Mazembe (DR Congo) (TP Mazembe win 2-0 on aggregate)

• Al Hilal Obeid (Sudan) 3-0 Ports Authority (The Gambia) (Al Hilal Obeid win 4-1 on aggregate)

Also on Sunday, Nigerian side Rivers United secured a 2-0 home win over Rwanda's Rayon Sports in the only remaining first leg of the play-offs.

The match had been delayed due to the commemoration of the Rwanda genocide.

On Saturday, nine teams booked their place in the newly expanded group phase of the Confederation Cup, including Mbabane Swallows, whose 4-3 aggregate win over Congolese side AC Leopards made them the first club from Swaziland to reach the group stage.

CS Sfaxien of Tunisia became the first side to reach this year's Confederation Cup group phase with a victory over Rail Kadiogo on Friday.

The draw for the group phase will be held on will be on 26 April 2017 in Cairo.