Jean Girumugisha's late stunner lifts Al Hilal over Mazembe

Al Hilal Omdurman secured a crucial 2-1 victory over TP Mazembe in their second Group A match of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League on Sunday night.

Played at the Stade Cheikha Ould Boïdiya in Mauritania, the Sudanese giants delivered a spirited performance to maintain their perfect start to the group stage.

The match began with Al Hilal on the front foot, and they were rewarded in the 22nd minute when Mohamed Abdelrahman coolly converted a penalty after Alioune Faty fouled in the box.

TP Mazembe, determined to fight back, showed glimpses of their attacking threat but lacked precision in the final third.

Oscar Tshikomb equalised for Mazembe in the 64th minute with a spectacular long-range effort, giving the visitors hope of salvaging a point.

However, Al Hilal’s Jean Girumugisha had other ideas.

In the dying moments of the match, Girumugisha unleashed a stunning strike from outside the box, beating the goalkeeper to the bottom left corner and sparking wild celebrations.

Despite a valiant effort, Mazembe suffered their first defeat of the group stage after drawing in their opening game.

The DR Congo side missed several chances, including a header from Boubacar Haïnikoye that narrowly missed the target in the first half.

Their frustrations were compounded by a yellow card for Mbungu Olongo in stoppage time, highlighting the intensity of the contest.

With the win, Al Hilal sit atop Group A with six points from two matches, followed by MC Alger, who defeated Young Africans 2-0 on Saturday.

Mazembe remain in third place with a single point, while Young Africans are rooted to the bottom after two consecutive losses.

Al Hilal will aim to maintain their momentum as they prepare to play MC Alger in their next clash on Saturday, while Mazembe face an uphill battle against Young Africans to revive their campaign on the same day.