CAIRO: ENPPI qualified for the Confederation Cup semi-finals after claiming a deserved 3-1 victory over ES Setif in Algeria on Saturday. Ahmed Raouf and Zeka Goore scored two first-half goals and Alaa Issa added a third after the interval to give ENPPI an invaluable win. Setif, who scored a consolation via a free-kick from Hocine Metref, also went through despite the defeat. The four Group A teams finished level on nine points for the first time in African competitions history after Angolan side Santos defeated DR Congo s Vita Club 1-0. Goal difference determined the two teams who booked a last-four berth. Setif, who possess a goal difference of plus-five, finished on top of the group while ENPPI (plus-three) came second. Diaa Al-Sayed s side, who will learn whom they will face in the semi-final on Sunday when Group B matches end, have a chance to become the first Egyptian club to lift the trophy. Their compatriots Harras Hodoud, who play in Group B, exited Africa s secondary competition with one match to spare. In-form striker Raouf stunned the home crowd after 19 minutes when midfielder Adel Mostafa found him with a superb pass to drill into the bottom corner from inside the area. Setif tried their luck from long-range on several occasions but their shots were thwarted by ENPPI keeper Amer Mohamed. Ivorian striker Zeka Goore, who scored three goals in as many league games, doubled ENPPI s lead on 36 minutes when another deft pass released him to run clear and slot home past the advancing keeper. Setif improved in the second half to dominate possession as ENPPI eased off a bit. Nevertheless, the visitors managed to add the third in the 74th minute when a recurring defensive lapse allowed Issa to fire home from eight yards out. Setif narrowed the gap few moments later after Metref caught Amer napping with a curling free-kick. ENPPI, who picked up their only title to date when they won the Egyptian Cup in 2005, held onto their two-goal lead to book a place among the last four.
