Tunisians Esperance upset title holders Al-Ahly of Egypt 1-0 on Saturday to get back into the hunt for a CAF Champions League semi-finals spot.
Esperance had to win after collecting only one point from their 1st 3 games in Group B, and Salama Kasdaoui was the hero with a superb 38th minute winner against the Red Devils, who were wearing an unfamiliar blue strip.
It was a classic 'route one' goal, with the Tunisian outsprinting veteran defender Emad al-Nahas to a long pass and volleying the ball past goalie Amir Abdelhamid at his near post.
Former champions Esperance face Ivorians ASEC away in mid-August and host Al-Hilal of Sudan 2 weeks later. Six points from these games would probably see them through to the penultimate phase.
Ahly, chasing a record 3rd consecutive continental title, are still the favourites to finish top of the pool, a target that they will accomplish if they overcome Al-Hilal in their next outing.
Victory was particularly sweet for Esperance as they suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss by Ahly 2 weeks ago. This was the heaviest loss suffered by Esperance in decades of African combat and few gave them a chance of revenge, even with home advantage at the 60,000-seater November 7th Stadium on the outskirts of Tunis.
Watched by France born national coach Roger Lemerre, Esperance were much the hungrier team and could have won more convincingly however for fine saves by Abdelhamid, standing in for injured Essam al-Hadary. Inspite of the presence of the likes of playmaking genius Mohamed Aboutraika and prolific forward Flavio, Ahly rarely worried goalie Hamdi Kasraoui.
Aboutraika, well off target from a few close-range free kicks, came closest midway through the 2nd half when he dispossessed a defender and almost caught Kasraoui napping with a snap shot that hit the side netting.
23 July 2007
The Al Ahly juggernaut marched impressively forward in the CAF Champions League at the weekend, keeping up their 100 per cent record with an emphatic 3-0 triumph over Tunisian opponents Esperance in Group B.
But such are the standards that the Egyptian giants are setting these days that they came in for a roasting from their Portuguese coach Manuel Jose after the encounter, who criticised them for not playing well inspite of the margin and manner of their win.
It is a measure of Cairo club that Jose felt his players did not take the encounter seriously enough. "We could have scored more goals," mentioned the taskmaster.
Al Ahly's triumph, which came courtesy of 3 superbly taken goals, means they are within 2 points of a securing semi-final place with 3 games left to go in the group phase.
They can secure their berth in the final 4 on the 1st weekend of August when they meet Esperance again, this time at the November 7 Stadium in Rades, Tunisia.
They look likely to be joined by surprise package Al Hilal, who Sunday won a 2nd successive Group B game and now sit 3 points behind Al Ahly.
It was not an easy triumph though for the hosts, who grabbed a 2-1 triumph over ASEC Abidjan with a last gasp winner.
The goal came 6 minutes from time from Yusuf Mohamed, who is chasing a 3rd Champions League winners' medal. He won the competition twice with his Nigerian club Enyimba in 2003 and 2004 and is one of 4 Nigerians imports at Al Hilal.
Ndubuisi Eze and Kelechi Osunwa were the other 2 who played Sunday at the Al Hilal stadium and were a constant thorn in the side of the ASEC Abidjan defence.
Eze got the 1st goal early on in the game, profiting from ASEC's failure to clear a long ball through the midfield.
But the Ivorian champions, who have suffered a mini slump in recent weeks, gamely fought back and looked to have secured a valuable away point when Idrissu Abdul Nafiu fired in an equaliser in the early part of the 2nd half.
ASEC's Ghana born forward is looking among the best players in the Champions League this year however his club are now in desperate trouble.
ASEC, along with Esperance, remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the standings and if the Ivorian side are still to make the semis, as they did last year, it will take a dramatic turnaround.
Esperance, too, are facing difficult times, not totally unsurprising given the tur over of 3 coaches in 5 weeks at the club. Their problems in Cairo were also exacerbated by the suspension of their captain Moyin Chaabani for internal disciplinary reasons.
But there does remain a bright light for Tunisia with Etoile Sahel going top of Group A in emphatic fashion.
It had taken all of 50 seconds for the home side to take the lead at Sousse over Algeria's JS Kabylie, with Amine Chermiti signaling his return from playing with Tunisia's U-23 side at the All-Africa Games with a swift run onto a speculative ball from midfield.
JSK had their chances to equalise in the 1st half, however Etoile wrapped up the triumph with 2 quick 2nd half goals, the last of which was a breathtaking piece of skill from winger Ja, an import from the Cape Verde Islands.
He was a constant thorn for the Algerian defenders and then showed his deadly class by jinxing his way past 2 of them, cutting inside and then sticking the ball into the net from an acute angle with the outside of his foot.
Etoile said their pre tournament status as group favourites as they moved onto 7 points. "We have the side that is able to march on and attain its objectives," assures their French born coach Bertrand Marchand.
Etoile have won all of Africa's other annual club competitions however never the Champions League, even though they played in 2 of the last 3 finals. They currently have a 3 point lead over Al Ittihad of Libya, who suffered defeat at Morocco's Royal Armed Forces in Rabat.
The next round of Champions League games will be played on the weekend of 3-5 August.
22 July 2007
A late goal from experienced defender Yusuf Mohamed saw Sudan's Al Hilal snatch a 2nd successive African Champions League Group B win, as they beat ASEC Abidjan of the Ivory Coast 2-1 in Omdurman.
The result kept the unfancied Sudanese in 2nd place in the standings and well on course for a semifinal berth in their 1st year of competing in the league phase of the competition.
Mohamed hit a powerful shot from close range after a storming run that finished with him picking up a neat pass from his Nigerian compatriot Ndubuisi Eze.
Mohamed was twice a past winner of the Champions League with his previous club Enyimba of Nigeria.
Eze gave the hosts, seeking a 2nd successive home triumph in the group, the perfect start in the 11th minute as he latched onto a long ball through the middle which ASEC defender Abdu Adenon failed to clear.
ASEC fought their way back and a snap effort from Ghana born Idrissu Abdul Nafiu saw them equalise in the 53rd minute, the forward blasting home from the edge of the area after being set up by a run down the wing from full back Dacosta Akes Goore.
It was their 1st goal of the group phase.
ASEC remain winless at the halfway stage of the group and now face a serious hurdle in their bid to match their semi-final appearance of last year.
Al Ahli of the Egypt head the group standings with 9 points from their 3 games after triumphing over Esperance of Tunisia 3-0 in Cairo Friday.
24 June 2007
Tunisia's Etoile Sahel beat 9 man Royal Armed Forces of Morocco 1-0 away in their opening African Champions League Group A match on Saturday.
Earlier, Esperance were held to a goalless draw in Tunis by ASEC Abidjan of the Ivory Coast in their 1st Group B game.
A penalty midway through the 2nd half by Etoile Sahle's Sabeur Ben Frej secured the points for the Tunisian champions, who were helped by some strange antics by their hosts.
Nouredine Kacemi, a former Morocco international, was sent off on the stroke of halftime for a flying two-footed tackle.
Royal Armed Forces' new coach Mustapha Madih reshuffled his side for the 2nd half and made 2 changes after the break.
But in the 67th minute defender Khalidi Maroufi handled in the area under no load and Ben Frej converted the spot kick.
The soldiers had another man dismissed in the 79th when substitute Idrissi Youssef Kaddioui elbowed an opponent from behind.
Tempers flared throughout a tempestuous game in which a further 5 yellow cards were brandished by referee Komlan Coulibaly of Mali.
Etoile Sahel join Al Ittihad at the head of the standings after the Libyan club beat JS Kabylie 1-0 in Tripoli Friday.
In Tunis, Esperance struck the woodwork twice with long range efforts in the 1st half however the ASEC defence held out.
Saber Khalifa hit the post in the 18th minute and a floated cross by Hicham Aboucheroune rattled the bar before the break.
But Esperance, with 4 new signings, were often caught square by ASEC's counter attacks, led by the pace of Idrissu Abdul Nafiu
Holders Al Ahli of Egypt open their Group B campaign against Al Hilal of Sudan in Cairo Sunday.
