Danish coach Jess Thorup made a winning debut in the CAF Champions League on Saturday when his Al Ahly side won 1-0 at Aigle Noir of Burundi in Bujumbura in their qualifier first leg.
An own goal decided the second-round game in east Africa as Kanyamukenge Iragi deflected a Mohamed Hany cross into his own net on 36 minutes.
Thorup replaced Spaniard Jose Riveiro, who joined the record 12-time African champions in mid-2025 from South African club Orlando Pirates.
Riveiro was sacked after winning only one of four Egyptian Premier League matches. He also failed to take Ahly past the group stage at the Club World Cup in the United States.
Thorup previously coached in Denmark, Belgium and Germany. He was fired by Bundesliga outfit Augsburg last May.
Ahly won the Champions League in 2023 and 2024 but, for a fourth time, failed to follow up back-to-back triumphs with a record third straight title.
They lost to Mamelodi Sundowns on away goals in the semi-finals last season, and both clubs will again be among the favourites.
Ahly and Sundowns received first-round qualifying byes and the South Africans face a potential tricky away fixture against Remo Stars in Nigeria on Sunday.
The other Nigerian contenders, Rivers United, suffered a setback in the final qualifying round before the 16-club group stage when losing 1-0 to Black Bulls of Mozambique in Maputo.
Moctar Diallo, a 20-year-old Senegalese, was Bulls’ match-winner with a goal five minutes into the second half.
Another visiting team to lose were experienced African campaigners Young Africans of Tanzania, who fell 1-0 to Silver Strikers of Malawi in Lilongwe, where Andrew Joseph scored the 76th-minute winner.
Away victories for four-time champions Esperance of Tunisia and Angolan side Petro Luanda put them in pole position to reach the group stage.
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