18 May 2015 11:49
Tunisian giants, Esperance were the biggest winners during the weekend first leg matches of the 1/8th round playoff of the 2015 Orange CAF Confederation Cup, thanks to a 4-0 thumping of Ghana representatives, Hearts of Oak on Sunday.
The ‘Blood and Gold’ were simply too much for the Phobians in the encounter held in Rades, a repeat of the CAF Champions League final meeting between the two sides 15-years ago, with an outcome that has almost secured them a place at the mini-league stage of the second-tier continental club championship.
Nigeria-import Samuel Edouk scored twice in either halve before Ghanaian Harrison Afful and Ghilane Chalali added one each to hand the 2004 winners one of their heaviest defeats in African club football.
Hearts of Oak thus have a tall mountain before them in the return leg needing to score at least five unanswered goals in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, in what will rank amongst one of the biggest comebacks in global football.
“The Esperance players have been together; they play as a team and exhibit good technique anytime they are on the ball. They capitalized on our mistakes so I thought they were superior than we were so we cannot complain. They gave us a good game and it is an experience for our boys because my players are very young and I think they will go far,” Hearts of Oak coach Herbert Addo admitted.
Congolese side, AC Leopards also made a strong case for a place at the next stage putting three goals past visiting Warri Wolves of Nigeria in Dolisie. Niger-import Mahamane Cisse scored the opener after just eight minutes before youngster Carof Bakoua doubled the lead on 25 minutes. Hermann Lakolo signed off victory by converting a penalty on 78 minutes to ensure the Dolisie based club remain on the path towards a successive appearance at the group phase of the second-tier club championship.
Holders Al Ahly of Egyt had to sweat for a narrow 2-1 win against Tunisian side, Club Africain in Suez. The visitors, finished the game with a man-less after on-loan Olympique Marseille forward Saber Khalifa was sent for a yellow card nine minutes from time, but gave their hosts so much cause to worry with their superb midfield play.
Imed Meniaoui put the Tunisians in the lead after 35 minutes before Ahmed Abdelzaher made amends for his earlier misses with the equalizer just before the break from a goalmouth action. Substitute Emad Meteab ensured victory for Ahly with a low shot on 63 minutes that beat Farouk Ben Moustapha in post for Club Africain. It was the fourth successive victory in all competitions for caretaker coach Fathi Mabrouk.
It was however the opposite for Ahly’s bitterest rivals, Zamalek who were undone by a Musema Ngoma 11th minute strike against DR Congo side Sanga Balande in Kinshasa.
Moroccan side, Raja Athletic Club, CS Sfaxien of Tunisia and Mali’s Stade Malien took giant steps towards the next round with victories on Saturday.
The fact is that each side won by an identical scoreline, 2-0, sending their guests packing out empty.
Three-time African champions, Raja had first half goals from Abdelkabir El Ouadi and Nigeria-import Christian Osaguona enough to secure victory over Tunisian side, Etoile du Sahel at the Mohamed V Complex in Casablanca.
El Ouadi scored the opener on 23 minutes before Osaguona doubled the lead just before the break. The visitors were unlucky in their search for a consolation with forward Youssef Mouihibi failing to convert a penalty on 74 minutes.
Elsewhere, Sfaxien, the most successful club in the history of the second-tier continental club championship with three titles, eased their way past Ivorian giants, ASEC Mimosas in Sfax. Captain Ali Maaloul and Yassine Khenissi were on target in each half as the homers cruised to victory.
In Bamako, Stade Malien proved too strong for AS Vita of DR Congo with a first leg cushioning. Moctar Mohamed Cisse broke the deadlock after five minutes before Ismael Kone signed off the win with a strike on 68 minutes.
South African side, Orlando Pirates recorded an unlikely victory away from home, beating AS Kaloum of Guinea 2-0 in Bamako on Friday. Thamsanqa Gabuza and Oupa Manyisa were on target in either half to give the Buccaneers a huge boost towards a place at the group stage.
The second leg matches will take place on the weekend of 5-7 June 2015.
Results
Friday, 15 May 2015
AS Kaloum (Guinea) 0-2 Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
Saturday, 16 May 2015
Stade Malien (Mali) 2-0 AS Vita (DR Congo)
CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) 2-0 ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire)
Raja Athletic Club (Morocco) 2-0 Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
Sunday, 17 May 2015
Ahly (Egypt) 2-1 Club Africain (Tunisia)
Sanga Balende (DR Congo) 1-0 Zamalek (Egypt)
Esperance (Tunisia) 4-0 Hearts of Oak (Ghana)
AC Leopards (Congo) 3-0 Warri Wolves (Nigeria)
Confederation of African Football (CAF) News
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