At the prestigious African Champions League competition, TP Mazembe moved top of Group A after beating Egyptian giants, Zamalek, 1-0 in the clash that took place on Sunday in Lubumbashi. Zambia-import Rainford Kalaba opened the score early in the first half to take the DR Congo champions' points tally to six, two more than fellows AS Vita and Al Hilal of Sudan, leaving five-time winners Zamalek at the bottom with three points. It was a successive loss by the Egyptian White Knights on Congolese soil after a 1-0 loss to AS Vita last month in the capital, Kinshasa. According to a disappointed head coach, Ahmed Hossam Mido, his team needs to spring back powerfully in the remaining three matches to save face and stand any realistic chance of advancing to the semifinals of the Champions League competition. The last time Zamalek won this competition was in 2002. “Les Corbeaux” as the hosts TP Mazembe are nicknamed were in control from the start, and made their dominance count with the opener on 13 minutes through Kalaba, who scrambled home from close range. Pacy winger, Solomon Asante, took a run at the Zamalek defence, weaving past Mohamed Abdel-Shafy, whose failed sloppy clearance gifted the ball to Kalaba, who shot feebly but surprisingly went into the net for what turned out to be the only goal of the match. The Congolese maintained control whereas Zamalek struggled in search of their rhythm. The White Knights tried to come from behind later in the second half, but it was too late and they rarely troubled Mazembe goalie Muteba Kidiaba. Minutes to go for the game, Zamalek goalie Abdel-Sayed was to his side's rescue with a save on a one-on-one situation stopping Daniel Nii Adjei. Mazembe, who were without leading marksman, Mbwana Samata, hung on to secure their second win at the group stage. Their first victory was against fellows, whom they beat 1-0 last month. In Group B of the same Champions League competition, Esperance returned to winning ways after coming from behind to beat rivals CS Sfaxien 2-1 in their Group B clash on Sunday in Rades. Oussama Darragi and Driss Mhirsi scored within a spate of a minute after Maher Hannachi had shot the visitors into the lead early in the second half. The result serves as a good start for Frenchman Sebastien Desabre, who was elevated to the top spot after Dutchman Ruud Krol was relieved of his post after losses in the opening two games of the group stage. The “Blood and Gold” had to wait for over 180 minutes to land their first win at this stage, which came crucially at the halfway mark. The all-Tunisian affair was action packed, with the visitors parading an unfamiliar attack due to the absence of star man, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef. After a balanced opening, it was Sfaxien who had the first major attempt at goal but Hannachi was unlucky as his shot flew across the face of the goal on 19 minutes. Two minutes later, Esperance responded and it was Cameroon-import Yannick N'Djeng who struck a half-volley that Sfaxien goalie Rami Jeridi tipped out. After a barren first half, Sfaxien went up two minutes from recess through Hannachi, who connected home through a tailor-measured pass from captain Ali Maaloul from the left. Esperance bounced back and drew even on 65 minutes through Darragi, who finished off a three-man move, which included N'Djeng and Mohamed Msakni. Msakni fetched N'Djeng, who squared to Darragi to tap in for the equaliser and bring the Esperance halve of the stadium alive. Sfaxien lost the ball from the restart and Ahmed Akaichi's pass was slammed home by Mhirsi to power Esperance into the lead for the first time. The hosts never looked back for more goals and on 79 minutes, Akaichi was denied by Jeridi in a one-on-one situation Three minutes from time, Sfaxien had a good chance to salvage a point from the game, but substitute Imed Louati shot wide with only Esperance goalie Ben Moez to beat. Algerian side, Entente Setif sit atop of Group B with five points, Sfaxien and Ahly Benghazi of Libya in that order with four points each and Esperance in that order with three points Meanwhile, at the Confederations Cup, Ahli of Egypt played to a 1-1 draw with the Ivorian side, Sewe Sport in their Group B Day Three clash on Sunday in Abidjan. The Cairo-based side, worn-out by the absence of several key players through injury took the lead on the stroke of half-time through Moussa Yedan, before substitute Edem Akrofi drew the hosts level in the second half. However and despite the defeat, Ahli, the eight-time titleholder of the premier continental club championship, CAF Champions League, remain unbeaten with five points from three games, same as Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia. Sewe Sport has three points whilst Zambia's Nkana are perched at the bottom with just a point. The Ivorians kept the Egyptian defence busier in the opening minutes and defensive duo, Ahmed Nabil and Saad Samir, made timely interventions to deny Ousmane Ouattara and Joseph Kameni. Almost 23 minutes into the match, Ahli's goalie Sherif Ekrami, saved Cedric Kodjo's shot from close range before Samir cleared the rebound off the line. Ahli turned the heat on their hosts and, during one of their rare moves upfront broke, the deadlock through Burkinabe Yedan. In-form Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” found Yedan, who tapped in from close range for the opening goal just before half-time. The home team resumed stronger, but had to wait till the 78th minute before Akrofi leveled the score with a simple tap to snatch a point for his side. It was the third draw for the Ivorians at this stage. In Group B of the confederations Cup, the Tunisian side, Etoile du Sahel thrice came from behind to beat Nkana of Zambia 4-3 in their encounter on Saturday in Sousse The 2006 CAF Champions League winners kept intact their unbeaten run at the group stage of the second-tier continental club championship, moving top on five points. Seven minutes into the game, the Zambians went up thanks to an own-goal after hard-pressed Etoile du Sahel defender, Ghazi Abderrazak, inadvertently shot into his own net in an attempt to clear the ball. The hosts never looked back despite a goal down, making several raids into the half of the visitors in their quest to break even. The moment did arrive on 20 minutes when Youssef Mouihbi was fouled by Nkana defender Joseph Lungu in the vital area for a penalty which was converted by Algerian recruit Baghdad Boundjah to draw even. The Nkana attack led by Evans Kangwa and supported by Ronald Kampamba gave the host's defence sleepless night and anytime they moved upfront got them wanting. On the half-hour mark, Kangwa profited from a poor clearance from captain Seif Ghezal to give the Zambians a 2-1 lead at half time. The introduction of Alkhaly Bangoura for Ghezal by Etoile du Sahel coach, Roger Lemerre, at the start of the second half changed the face of the game for his side Eight minutes after the break, Guinean-import Bangoura restored parity with a tap in after Abderazzak's goal-bound shot bounced off the upright. Nkana were undaunted and went up for the third time on 79 minutes through Derrick Mwanza from the spot. The lead lasted for only 60 seconds, just long enough for substitute Lassad Jaziri to score to make it three-all before Bangoura connected home from a rebound after Jaziri's free-kick kissed the upright to ensure a dramatic victory for the “Diables Rouges.” Compiled from cafonline
