TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup: Al Ahly Tripoli cruise to victory as Azam hold ZED in Egypt
Libya's Al Ahly Tripoli moved closer to the group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2026/27 with a commanding 4-0 away victory over Ethiopia's Welwalo Adigrat, while Tanzania's Azam FC fought back to earn a 1-1 draw against Egypt's ZED FC in the first legs of the Second Preliminary Round.
Four different players were on target for Al Ahly Tripoli, who established a substantial advantage ahead of the return leg, while Lusago's second-half equaliser denied ZED victory in their home encounter.
The results leave the Libyan side firmly in control of their tie, with ZED and Azam facing a decisive return meeting in Tanzania on 24 October.
Al Ahly Tripoli dominate Ethiopian opponents
Al Ahly Tripoli produced an emphatic attacking performance to defeat Welwalo Adigrat 4-0 away from home and take a major step towards qualification for the group stage.
Al-Lafi, Togai, Al-Suwaidi and Al-Mirimi scored for the Libyan club, who put themselves in a commanding position in the two-legged contest.
The four-goal margin leaves Welwalo Adigrat facing a difficult task in the return fixture, with the Ethiopian side needing a remarkable turnaround to keep their continental campaign alive.
Al Ahly Tripoli, meanwhile, will be aiming to complete the job in the second leg and secure their place among the 16 clubs advancing to the group stage.
Azam fight back to frustrate ZED in Egypt
In the other encounter, Azam FC recovered from a first-half deficit to hold ZED FC to a 1-1 draw in Egypt, leaving their Second Preliminary Round tie finely balanced.
The Egyptian hosts made the stronger start and controlled much of the early exchanges, but struggled to find a way through Azam's organised defence.
ZED came close to breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute when Marwan Hajjaj found himself through on goal, only to send his effort wide.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 45th minute when Mahmoud Nabil struck from outside the penalty area, sending a powerful shot beyond the Azam goalkeeper to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at half-time.
However, the Tanzanian visitors responded after the interval and restored parity in the 59th minute.
Nado attempted a shot from distance which deflected off teammate Lusago before finding the net, bringing Azam level and changing the complexion of the contest.
ZED were unable to regain their advantage, allowing Azam to return home with a draw and renewed confidence ahead of the decisive second leg.
The Egyptian club had reached this stage after defeating Djibouti's Telecom Djibouti 5-1 on aggregate in the First Preliminary Round, continuing their maiden campaign in the competition.
Azam will now host ZED in Tanzania on 24 October, with both sides still firmly in contention for a place in the group stage.
The return legs of the Second Preliminary Round will determine which 16 clubs advance to the group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.