Former champions TP Mazembe and Asec Mimosas could only secure narrow home victories in the African Champions League on Sunday.
DR Congo side Mazembe edged past Al Ittihad Khemisset from Morocco 1-0 in Lubumbashi, through a first-half penalty converted by Dioko Kaluyituka.
Asec beat Zimbabwe's Monomotapa by the same scoreline in Abidjan.
Monomotapa will have high hopes of repeating the heroics of their compatriots Dynamos in getting to the group stages last year after only conceding one goal, a controversial penalty.
Asec have announced that they will donate their share of the ticket receipts to the families of the victims who died in a stadium crush before Ivory Coast's World Cup qualifier against Malawi in March.
Angolan side Primeiro Agosto defeated highly-fancied Al Hilal of Sudan 3-1 in Luanda.
Most of the action came in the first 10 minutes and it was Hilal who took the lead through Blaise Mbele in the fifth minute.
Just 60 seconds later Agosto were level through Bena, who extended the home side's lead three minutes later.
Mano scored the Angolan's third on the hour mark to seal a result which gives them a great chance of going through.
Nigeria's Heartland earned a win over last year's runners-up Coton Sport of Cameroon in Owerri.
Ahly managed to hold Kano Pillars to a 1-1 draw in Kaduna
But they failed to press home their advantage and the match finished 2-1 despite several great chances for the home team.
Stanley Okoro put Heartland in front before Ahmadou Eboa Ngomna equalised for the visitors.
Emeka Nwana restored the Nigerian's lead, but he missed a great chance 10 minutes from time.
The match in Bamako was a more dour affair, and Zesco United of Zambia will be delighted with their 0-0 draw with Djoliba.
Zesco were determined not to concede and will have a great chance of making it through when the second leg takes place.
Reigning African champions Al Ahly of Egypt were held to a 1-1 draw by Nigeria's Kano Pillars in Kaduna on Saturday.
Pillars, who drafted in a Slovenian coach in the run up to the game, opened the scoring on the half-hour through Victor Namo.
They maintained that lead until 15 minutes before the end, when Ahly substitute Hani Al Egeizi headed home Gilberto's cross for Ahly's all important away goal.
The head of Kano Pillars, Ibrahim Galadima, told the BBC his side still have a chance to make it through, despite the set-back.
"A win would have been better for us, but I believe it is not impossible," he said.
"We played better than Ahly, I am honoured and proud of these boys."
Galadima also criticised the organisation of the build up to the game, saying the officials were changed three times in the week before the match.
The match was held in Kaduna because Pillars' home stadium in Kano is being redeveloped.
In Saturday's other match the former champions Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia went to Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya and came away with a 0-0 draw - giving them a great chance of making it through to the group stage.
On Friday, Al Merreikh of Sudan were 1-0 winners away to KCC of Uganda.
Nigerian midfielder Endurance Idahor scored the winner on 54 minutes.
The return matches in all these ties are on the first weekend in May.
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