24 April 2011
Tunisian outfit Esperance led a show of force by clubs from northern countries in African Champions League last-16 ties this weekend.
The ‘Blood and Gold’ were ahead within two minutes against Senegalese visitors Diaraf and romped to a 5-0 victory that virtually assures them of a mini-league place after the early May return fixture.
Wydad Casablanca of Morocco built a 1-0 lead at home to defending champions and 2010 FIFA Club World Cup runners-up Tout Puissant Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo thanks to an early goal.
Record six-time champions Al-Ahly of Egypt forced a 0-0 deadlock with ZESCO United on the Zambian Copperbelt and Mouloudia Alger of Algeria overcame the burden of an early red card to grab a 1-1 draw with InterClube in Angola.
Another North African contender for the 1.5-million-dollar first prize will be in action later Sunday when Club Africain of Tunisia tackle Al-Hilal of Sudan in the sauna-like heat of Omdurman.
Esperance, humiliated 6-1 overall by Mazembe in the final last year, set a good example as North African teams try to regain dominance of the premier Pan-African club competition after Mazembe won the last two editions.
Tall Malian striker Dramane Traore, recruited this year from Russia after leading 2010 Champions League scorer Michael Eneramo moved to Turkey, opened the scoring and Esperance led 4-0 by half-time.
Captain and midfielder Oussama Darragi claimed the second and third goals and Idriss Mhirsi added the fourth three minutes before half-time in the Tunisian capital.
Diaraf, who eliminated Ports Authority of Gambia and Djoliba of Mali to reach the final qualifying round, must have feared the worst when Youssef Msakni made it 5-0 just eight minutes into the second half.
But they were spared further misery and 1994 African champions Esperance finished five-goal home winners for the second consecutive round having walloped ASPAC of Benin by the same score last month.
Mustapha Allaoui netted after 18 minutes for 1992 champions Wydad, who must now rely on the defensive strength that took them past Aduana Stars of Ghana and Kano Pillars of Nigeria in previous rounds.
Mazembe, who last November became the first club to twice successfully defend the title, are seeking another record as no side has lifted the trophy three consecutive times.
ZESCO came closest to breaking the deadlock in Ndola during the final 20 minutes when down to 10 men as leading scorer Alfred Luputa limped off after the permitted three substitutions had been made.
It was a satisfactory result for Portugal-born Ahly coach Manuel Jose, who criticised the Egyptian embassy in Lusaka before the game for not supplying information on the Zambian champions.
El-Almi Daoudi of Mouloudia awas sent off when cautioned a second time after nine minutes and Pedro Henriques scored from the resultant free kick only for Hocine Bensalem to break Angolan hearts with a stoppage-time equaliser.
2010 AFP
