Title holders Al-Ahly of Egypt bounced back from a disappointing first round performance with a 2-0 home win over Al-Merreikh of Sudan.

It was a much more convincing effort from the African Club of the Century, who had struggled to a 2-1 win against Oserian Fastrac of Kenya in the first round.

Ahmed Bilal emerged as the hero striking twice within 60 seconds during the second half.

Bilal scored after 72 and 73 minutes to build a strong lead for the Egyptians ahead of the second leg of the second round tie in Khartoum over the weekend of 26-28 April.

Stade Olympique Emyrne of Madagascar will hold the advantage over Costa Do Sol of Mozambique going into the second leg after a 2-1 in Antananarivo.

Silvestin Nathalie picked up both goals for the Madagascans, opening the scoring after just 16 minutes.

Kom Be equalised for the visitors just before the break but Nathalie sealed six minutes into the second spell.

Second round winners of the competition advance to the eight-club mini-league section of the Champions League, which carries $3m in prize money, including $1m for the champions.

While three-time champions Al-Ahly scraped past Oserian Fastac in the first round, Al-Merreikh had pipped SC Villa of Uganda 4-3 over two legs.

In the Cup Winners CupAlliance Bouake of Ivory Coast snatched a last-minute 1-1 draw with Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in a Cup Winners Cup tie in Abidjan.

Issa Traore converted a penalty to keep the Ivorians in contention.

Brazilian Emerson Nogueira, who scored twice in a first round win over Senegalese side Sonacos, had put the 1997 runners-up ahead five minutes before half-time.

In Cape Town, Santos of South Africa were held to a 3-3 draw by Asante Kotoko of Ghana.

The result gives the fabled Ghanaian side the edge going into the second leg in Kumasi on 28 April.

Goal drought

Goals were scarce in the African Football Confederation (CAF) Cup with three matches producing just one.

Gilbert Raferisoa from AS Adema of Madagascar was the only player to get on the scoresheet, giving his side a 1-0 win against Tanzanian visitors Mtibwa Sugar.

Caf Cup holders JS Kabylie of Algeria, who are bidding to win the competition for for the third consecutive time, appear set for the quarter-finals.

The Canaries, who together with Esperance of Tunisia share the distinction of winning the three African club competitions, forced a 0-0 draw with ASC Ndiambour in the Senegalese town of Rufisque.

FUS Rabat of Morocco and Satellite of Ivory Coast also failed to score in Rabat.