Moroccan giants Raja Club Athletic hammered Ugandan champions Vipers SC 5-0 as the latter endured a humbling welcome into the group stages of the 2022/2023 CAF Champions League on Friday night.The Venoms are playing the group phase for the first time ever, and it wasn’t the start they envisaged as they endured a humbling debut at the Mohamed V Complex in Casablanca.Hamza Khabba, Jamal Harkass, Mohamed Zrida, Yousri Bouzouk and Roger Aholou had a goal each as Raja kicked off their campaign with an emphatic victory that puts them comfortably in charge, top of Group C.🎥 HIGHLIGHTS: Debutants @VipersSC suffer a 5-0 defeat vs. @RCAofficiel in matchday 1 of the 2022/23 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL! 👇#RCAVSC | @Football2Gether pic.twitter.com/3pBQ3jKrT5— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) February 11, 2023 Vipers had conceded twice, even before testing the opposing keeper Anas Zniti. They landed their first effort on target after 34 minutes when Martin Kizza curled a freekick from his left foot, but it ended up in a routine save for Zniti.Four minutes later, it was 3-0 when Zrida scored with a first time shot after a well weighted cutback from Harkass found him well placed in the box.##NAJAVA_MECA_7014740##Raja made it 4-0 in the 59th minute when Bouzouk got his goal with a little dink over the keeper after being put through by Khabba.Aholou then completed the job for the home side with 20 minutes to go, a low shot from the edge of the box perching into the bottom left after a cross from the left was deflected to his feet.Defeat in Casablanca…#RCAVSC | #TotalEnergiesCAFCL | #VenomsUpdates | #OneTeamOneDream pic.twitter.com/hA5sPw4jyw— 𝐕𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 (@VipersSC) February 10, 2023 In the other match of the day, Algerian champions CR Belouizdad began their group stage campaign with a precious 1-0 win away to Egyptian giants Zamalek on Friday.Cameroonian striker Leonel Wamba scored the only goal of the game in Cairo to seal the important victory for the visitors to set the early pace in Group D by taking them to the top.🎥 HIGHLIGHTS: Algerian side @Crbelouizdadoff bag their first-ever win in Egypt as they beat @ZSCOfficial after Wamba’s strike from the spot! 🌟#TotalEnergiesCAFCL | #ZSCCRB | @Football2Gether pic.twitter.com/kzmPWbdXdN— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) February 10, 2023 The 20-year old forward calmly slotted the winning goal in the 56th minute as the Algerians overpowered the White Knights to pick their third win in a row across all competitions.Belouizdad were awarded a penalty after Nabil Dunga was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box as he went to ground to attempt a block on Houssem Eddine Mrezigue’s shot from the edge of the area.Zamalek, who failed to make it off the group stages last season, now have work to do again, to gain ground in the group.Three Kenyans set for continental action as CAFCL and CAF CC group action kicks offSaturday FixturesMamelodi Sundowns vs Al-Hilal Omdurman – 1600EATPetro Athletico vs JS Kabylie – 1600EATEsperance Tunis vs Al-Merreikh – 1900EATHoroya vs Simba – 1900EAT
