Kashiwa Reysol's FIFA Club World Cup dream ended today at the hands of South American champions
Santos FC. Neymar was amongst the goals for the Brazilians as they claimed a 3-1 win against the
J-League champions whilst earlier in the day North and Central American champions Monterrey CF won
the 5th/6th place play-off, getting the better of African champions Espérance Tunis by the odd
goal in five.
Kashiwa Reysol and Al Sadd have booked their semi-final places in the FIFA Club World Cup
following hard fought victories over Monterrey CF and Esperance Tunis respectively.
Kashiwa, representing the host nation Japan as the 2011 J-League champions, needed a penalty
shoot-out to get past North and Central American champions Monterrey after the two teams had played
out a 1-1 draw.
Tunisian giants Espérance will make their maiden appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup
following their second CAF Champions League title win, their first such title for seventeen years,
which was achieved with a 1-0 aggregate victory over Moroccans WAC Casablanca in the final. Should
the Tunis based side overcome the challenge of Asian champions Al Sadd in the quarter-finals, a
glamour tie against UEFA Champions League winners FC Barcelona will be on the cards for one of
Africa's most famous clubs.
TP Mazembe have won back-to-back CAF Champions League titles
Following a 5-0 victory in the first leg of this year's final it was no surprise to see
defending CAF Champions League holders TP Mazembe lift the trophy for a second consecutive running.
Their 1-1 draw away at Tunisian giants Espérance in yesterday's second leg gave the Congan side
their fourth title overall in African football's showpiece tournament.
TP Mazembe Champions of Africa? is a post from: Just Football
"Today, our morale is on top. I think we are capable of scoring three goals by half time."
Espérance striker Khaled Ayari.
Positivity. Positivity is always a good thing. In this case however even blind, optimistic,
the-world-is-our-oyster-and-nothing-can-possibly-go-wrong Disneyland levels of positivity may not
be enough.
Defending African champions TP Mazembe have already as good as won the CAF Champions League for
a second successive year, and fourth title overall, following their 5-0 demolition of Tunisian
champions Espérance.
In an amazing first leg to this year's CAF Champions League final the Congolese side took to the
field at their home Stade de la Kenya in the town of Lubumbashi and they certainly didn't
disappoint.
JS Kabylie had the best record in the Champions League group stages
With the identity of all four semi-finalists known the final matchday in the CAF Champions
League group stages was a little anti-climatic but there were still points to play for as teams
jostled either for the leadership of the group or to avoid the wooden spoon.
Al-Ahly 1-1 JS Kabylie: Canaries through to African Champions League semi final is a post from:
Just Football
JS Kabylie survived a hostile environment and an attacking onslaught from
opponents Al-Ahly to draw 1-1 and qualify for the last four of the 2010 African
Champions League.
This is what could be described as "the formality leg". After the first end of the African
Champions League final, TP Mazembe was cruising with a 5-0 lead. What you'd have to consider to be
typically insurmountable at this stage of a large competition, and lo, it was. A simple 1-1 draw
was all they required for a second straight African CL title for the second time in their
history.
