El Merriekh Bentiu Beat Heegan 1–0 in CAF Champions League Qualifier

JUBA, South Sudan — September 5, 2026

South Sudan champions El Merriekh Bentiu have started their 2026/27 CAF Champions League campaign with a 1–0 victory over Somalia’s Heegan FC in Juba.

The two sides met at Juba Stadium on Saturday in the first leg of the CAF Champions League first preliminary round. Match records confirm El Merriekh took the lead in the 14th minute and carried the 1–0 advantage through to full time.

The victory gives the South Sudanese club an important advantage before the return leg in Somalia. Heegan will host El Merriekh in the second match of the two-leg tie next week.

El Merriekh are representing South Sudan in Africa’s leading club football competition. The Bentiu side also competed in the CAF Champions League in 2024, when they defeated Kenya’s Gor Mahia 1–0 in Juba before being eliminated following a 5–1 defeat in the return leg in Nairobi.

This year's preliminary-round draw has also raised the stakes for El Merriekh. The winner of the El Merriekh–Heegan tie is scheduled to meet the winner of the matchup involving Kenya’s Gor Mahia and Egyptian side Pyramids FC in the next qualifying round.

Saturday’s result therefore puts El Merriekh one step closer to progressing, although the tie remains open with the away leg still to be played.

The club will now need to protect its one-goal advantage when it travels to face Heegan. A positive aggregate result would send El Merriekh into the second preliminary round as the club continues its bid to advance further in continental competition.