Etoile were humbled by Zimbabwean champions Dynamos, while Ahly lost 2-1 to Platinum Stars of South Africa.
Two-time winners Enyimba took a giant step towards qualifying for the next round by beating Tunisia’s Club Africain 5-1, while last year’s semi-finalists Al Hilal of Sudan edged past South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns 4-2 in Khartoum.
In Harare, veteran Desmond Maringwa scored the winner six minutes into the second half to land the defending champions their second successive away loss in the competition.
Etoile fought back at leveling up, but the post denied Mohamed Nafkha and Armine Chermiti.
In Pretoria, Platinum Stars caused one of the biggest upsets in continental football after beating five-time African champions Al-Ahly of Egypt 2-1 in their 1/16th first leg clash on Saturday.
The result makes the continental debutants the first South African side to beat the Egyptian giants in a CAF Champions League match.
Midfielder Edward Williams’ late goal was all Stars needed to beat the continent’s most decorated club.
The Tycoons, who had the tie shifted to the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville, took the lead 12 minutes into the second half through Koketso Mmotong, who after benefiting from a brilliant pass from Simba Marumo, shot past the Ahly goalie.
Ahly, who were playing for the first time in the prestigious club championships after drawing a bye in the two previous stages leveled through striker Emad Moteab eight minutes from time before Williams struck home the match winner in the 91st minute.
Ahly assistant coach Hossam El Bedry said his team paid dearly for underrating their hosts, but promised to make amends in the return encounter in a fortnight.
“We admit that we underrated our hosts and paid heavily for that. We hope to make amends in the second leg.”
In Cairo, fellow five time African champions, Zamalek restored some pride for Egyptian football courtesy a 3-0 win over Angola’s GD Interclube.
Goals from Amr Al-Safti, Shikabala, and midfielder Mohamed Ibrahim ensured Zamalek inched closer to the mini-league stage since 2005.
Al-Safti broke the deadlock after just four minutes before Shikabala doubled the lead six minutes later. Ibrahim sealed victory with the third goal in the 26th minute to confirm Zamalek’s dominance.
In Douala, Coton Sport defeated former African champions J.S. Kabylie 3-0.
Zoua Daogari gave the homers the lead after 20 minutes before a brace from Daouda Kamilou sealed victory.
Ivorian champions, ASEC Mimosas once again failed to live up to expectations as they were held by visiting OC Khourigba to a barren draw at the Felix Houphoet Boigny Stadium.
At Aba, Enyimba maintained their impressive home run with by thrashing Club Africain 5-1 at the Enyimba Sports Stadium.
The two-time African champions have thus scored 13 goals in three matches in qualifying rounds of the continent’s most prestigious club competition.
In Khartoum, a goal each from Surprise Moriri and Josta Dladla gave Sundowns some hope of advancing to the mini-group phase as they were beaten 4-2 by al Hilal.
The second leg matches have been scheduled for May 9-11. The winners after both ties will qualify for the mini-group stage, where the draw has been fixed for May 17 in Yaounde, Cameroon.
Asec Mimosas 0-0 OC KhourigbaZamalek 3-0 GD InterclubeDynamos 1-0 E.S.S. Coton Sport 3-0 J.S.K.Ittihad 2-1 TP MazembeEnyimba 5-1 Club Africain Platinium Stars 2-1 El AhlyAl Hilal 4-2 Sundowns
