CAIRO/ ABIDJAN – Pyramids FC of Egypt and Asec Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire moved top of their respective groups in the CAF Confederation Cup after clinching home victories.
Asec was 2-0 winners at home against Diables Noirs of Congo to go top of Group B while Pyramids won 1-0 in Cairo against Togolese side ASKO de Kara to move to the apex of Group C.
In Abidjan, Asec came into the match from last weekend’s heavy 3-0 loss away to Nigeria’s Rivers United, and needed a huge response to get their campaign back on track. The first-half was cagy and chances weren’t many for either side.
The game however opened up in the second half when Karamoko Sankara finished off Kouassi Attohoula Yao’s assist to break the deadlock after 65 minutes. It was a relieving goal for the home side that had started the second half on the front foot.
Sankara had scored just 13 minutes after he had come on for Gahe Didier. Ten minutes later, he turned from scorer to provider when he laid off the assist for Kramo Aubin to net the second and put the game to bed for the home side.
Diables didn’t have a response as they failed to mount a comeback. They remain on four points off a win and a draw and second in the group.
Elsewhere in Cairo, Tunisian forward Fakhreddine Ben Youssef’s goal in the first-half was all Pyramids needed to edge out Togo’s Kara.
Youssef powered home a header in the 28th minute when playmaker Abdullah el-Said’s cross found him at the edge of the six yard box.
Said had an opportunity at goal himself when he swung an effort on the volley from distance, but the keeper made a good save.
Kara piled the pressure, forcing Pyramids into their own half in the second half, but they couldn’t get a way back into the match.
Meanwhile in Bamako, hosts Real de Bamako scored a 91st minute leveller as they played to a 1-1 draw with Tanzania’s Yanga.
Yanga was headed for a vital win away from home following last weekend’s heroics that saw them beat TP Mazembe, but poor marking from a set piece cost them the victory. Defender Emile Kone netted the equalizer with a neat header at the near post.
Yanga had gone into the lead on the hour mark through Fiston Mayele. The Congolese forward picked the ball at the edge of the area before turning and shooting low on his left foot.
The game didn’t have many chances. In the first half, the closest was Yanga’s Kennedy Musonda whose shot from distance came off the outside of the post. Bamako’s only chance on target was off a Makan Samabaly freekick that was punched away by the Yanga keeper.
The result sees Yanga remain second in Group D with four points while Bamako is bottom with two points from back to back draws.
Monastir stuns Mazembe
Tunisian side US Monastir stunned Congolese giants TP Mazembe, beating them 2-0 at home in their third Group D match.
Mazembe suffered their second successive defeat, after going down last weekend away to Tanzania’s Yanga, and the result at home leaves them third in the standings with three points from their opening win at home against Real de Bamako.
The Tunisians on the other hand, retained a hold on top spot as they moved to seven points.
Mazembe, pushed by the partisan home crowd started the match with some pressure high up the Monastir backline, but they couldn’t make it count for goals.
For the missed opportunities, they were punished just six minutes after the restart when Boubacar Traore hit the back of the net off an Haikal Chikhaoui assist.
Mazembe made changes bringing on attacking potent with the introduction of Adam Bossu and Glody Likonza but still, they couldn’t make chances count in the final third.
Once again, Monastir made the most of their chances and they put the game to bed in the third minute of added time through Ziad Alawi who pounced on a rebound after the keeper spilled a ball.
Mazembe will have a chance to right the wrongs when they clash again with the Tunisians, this time in Monastoir next weekend.
St. Elloi Lupopo 1-0 Al-Akhdar
Meanwhile, while Lupopo struggled at home, their colleagues St Elloi Lupopo pic ked their first win in Group A after edging out Libya’s AL-Akhdar 1-0. The Libyans remain bottom of the group after two defeats and a draw.
The only goal of the match was scored by striker Emmanuel Lopota in the second minute of added time in the first-half, handing them a much-needed victory following back to back losses.
In the second-half, AL-Akhdar made changes in a bid to revive their hopes, but their efforts didn’t bear fruit.
