Espérance Sportive celebrate the one goal lead
* Defending champions Al Ahly SC will be happy to take their 0-0 draw to the return leg in Cairo
* But it is all to play for next Friday as the tie is still very much open for any of the two sides
Maravi Express
Tunisian side Espérance Sportive de Tunis took a slender 1-0 advantage of their first leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday night.
Advertisement
While in the other semi-final, TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were frustrated in Lubumbashi as defending champions Ahly SC took a goalless stalemate to Cairo for the return match.
A report by CAFonline says Espérance Sportive were at home in Tunis and their pivotal goal came four minutes before half-time when Brazilian striker Yan Sasse rounded goalkeeper Ronwen Williams before slotting into an empty net after a clever through ball from Rodrigo Rodrigues.
Despite Sundowns having several chances to equalise in the second half, the Tunisian side held firm to take a lead into next week’s second leg in Pretoria.
The North Africans, Espérance Sportive are bidding to win the Champions League for the fifth time while the Confederation of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) representatives, Mamelodi are eyeing for their second.
In the other semi-final, reigning African club champions, Al Ahly SC will be happy to take their 0-0 draw to the return leg after holding the five-time champions, TP Mazembe.
CAFonline reports that it was a frustrating afternoon for the hosts as they laboured for the victory at home but were held at bay by the defending champions.
With the backing of the home crowd, the hosts were first to fire the first warning after Filly Traore did well to rise above his markers to head at goal but saw his effort go narrowly wide, with Mostafa Shoubir beaten.
At the half hour mark, Mazembe captain Glody Likonza was unlucky not to find the back of the net after doing well to beat his marker with a diving header but his effort went just over the bar as Ahly survived a scare.
The hosts continued piling on the pressure with the crowd behind them but poor finishing in the final third was their downfall, as the defending champions showed resilience to go into the break without conceding.
Advertisement
Coming back from the break, Mazembe picked up from where they left off as they sent numbers forward in search of the much-needed opener.
Substitute Merceil Vumbi, who injected some much needed pace in the Mazembe attack was unlucky not put his side in the lead at the hour mark after his grass-cutting strike went off target with the keeper having no chance.
The golden opportunity of the match fell in the path of Zemanga Soze who after doing well to eliminate his marker sent his left footed effort wide off target from a very close range to the dissapointment of the fans in Lubumbashi.
With just minutes left on the clock, Mazembe looked to have secured a vital win after a well taken corner in the 88th minute found the head of Phillippes Kinzumbi whose effort went agonisingly over the bar.
While Mazembe will be dissapointed with not having found the back of the net at home, it is all to play for in Cairo next Friday as the tie is still very much open for any of the two sides.—Reporting by CAFonline
Advertisement