Mazembe through to African Champions League last 16 (Photo: the club's official website)
Four-time winners TP Mazembe reached the African Champions League last 16 on Sunday but there were some surprises that included the elimination of Ghana's Asante Kotoko after a surprising home defeat.
Mazembe claimed a 3-1 home victory over South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns for a narrow 3-2 aggregate win.
Two first-half goals from Rainford Kalaba and Mbwana Samatta and a second-half strike from Roger Assale gave Mazembe a valuable win at the expense of Sundowns, who notched a late consolation through Percy Tau.
At the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, Kotoko slumped to a 2-1 loss to Algeria's unfancied side MC El Eulma to bow out following a first-leg 0-0 draw,
Obed Owusu put Kotoko ahead three minutes before the break but Walid Derrardja silenced the home crowd with a 61st-minute goal. Fares Hamitti was on target in stoppage time to lift Eulma through.
Cameroon's Coton Sport, who lost to record winners Ahly in the 2008 final, were also knocked out after losing 2-0 away to DR Congo's Sanga Balende.
Tunisian duo Esperance and Sfaxien eased into the next round at the expense of Cameroon's Cosmos de Bafia and Togo's Semassi respectively.
Esperance beat Cosmos de Bafia 3-1 at home for a 4-1 aggregate win, with Yannick N'Djeng scoring twice from the spot.
Sfaxien claimed a 1-0 home victory over Semassi to complete a 6-0 aggregate win.
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