Confederation Cup: Enyimba, Zanaco clinch quarter-final spots

The Confederation Cup is the second-tier continental club competition for Africa

A win for Nigeria's Enyimba and a draw for Zanaco of Zambia ensured the two clubs clinched the last places in the quarter-finals of the Confederation Cup.

They join Guinea's Horoya, Libya's Al Nasr along with two teams from Egypt, Pyramids and Al Masry as well as Moroccan duo Renaissance Berkane and Hassania Agadir.

The draw for the quarter-finals will be held on Wednesday in Cairo, with group winners and runners-up kept apart.

The quarter-finals are due to played in March, with the semi-finals happening in May after April's African Nations Championships (CHAN) in Cameroon.

Victor Mbaoma scored twice as former African champions Enyimba beat San Pedro of the Ivory Coast 5-2 in Abidjan to grab the the second qualifying place in Group D.

Abdulrahman Bashir and Mbaoma netted for Enyimba within three minutes of the kick-off before Shreif Jimoh pulled one back for the hosts on six minutes.

Augustine Oladapo restored a two-goal lead on 25 minutes only for Roland Zan Bi to give San Pedro hope as the first half ended 3-2.

In the closing stages, Mbaoma and Stanley Dimgba each scored their fourth goal of the Confederation Cup season to seal an impressive victory.

Agadir won the group, finishing one point above Enyimba despite a shock 3-0 home loss to third-place Paradou of Algeria.

Zanaco came from behind to force a 1-1 at Renaissance Berkane of Morocco in Group B.

It was a bad start for the Zambians, who knew a draw would be enough for them to clinch the runners-up spot in the group, as Burkina Faso's Alain Traore scored after just two minutes.

However, the Zambians gradually regained their composure and levelled before half-time when Rodgers Kola scored his sixth goal of the Confederation Cup campaign.

Zanaco then survived a second-half comeback from Renaissance to finish ahead of DC Motema Pembe of the DR Congo.

After taking a third-minute lead through Vinny Kombe, Motema Pembe failed to score again against bottom-of-the-table ESAE of Benin and had to settle for a 1-0 win in Kinshasa.

It proved a hollow victory as the Congolese outfit were eliminated on head-to-head records having drawn at home and lost away to Zanaco.

Hopes that already eliminated Enugu Rangers of Nigeria could finish on a high note proved unfounded as they were held 1-1 at home by Group A runners-up Masry.

Pyramids completed their impressive debut group campaign with a fifth victory as they won 1-0 in Mauritania against Nouadhibou, thanks to a goal from Ahmed Ayman Mansour

The results saw Pyramids top Group A with 15 points, Al Masry were runners-up with 10, Enugu third on six and Nouadhibou bottom with just two.

A disastrous campaign for South African club Bidvest Wits ended with a 2-0 defeat by Djoliba of Mali in Soweto, which condemned them to last place in Group C.

Bangaly Sanogo and Oumar Camara scored either side of the break to give Djoliba the win.

In the other Group C game Horoya beat Al-Nasr 2-0 in the battle of the teams who had already qualified for the last eight.

Boniface Haba and a penalty from Burkinabe Dramane Nikiema sealed the win in the match that was moved to Egypt due to security issues in Libya.

Confederation Cup results:

Group A:

• Enugu Rangers (Nigeria) 1-1 Al Masry (Egypt)

• Nouadhibou (Mauritania) 0-1 Pyramids (Egypt)

Group B:

• Renaissance Berkane (Morocco) 1-1 Zanaco (Zambia)

• DC Motema Pembe (DR Congo) 1-0 ESAE (Benin)

Group C:

• Al-Nasr (Libya) 0-2 Horoya (Guinea)

• Bidvest Wits (South Africa) 0-2 Djoliba (Mali)

Group D:

• Hassania Agadir (Morocco) 0-3 Paradou (Algeria)

• San Pedro (Ivory Coast) 2-5 Enyimba (Nigeria)