Orlando Pirates fail to sparkle in North Africa as Masry thrash Mazembe

• Al Ittihad now sit top of Group B with all teams on three points
• Mazembe are struggling to rediscover form
• Masry sit top of Group C

South African giants Orlando Pirates failed to make it two wins in two matches after slumping to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Libyan side Al Ittihad in their CAF Confederation Cup Group B fixture in Benghazi on Sunday.

Sanad Al Warfali had given the home side the lead after 14 minutes with a brilliant freekick that curled into the bottom left of the keeper’s guard. However, Pirates equalized in the 26^th minute through Bandile Shandu’s long range effort.

Ittihad who were playing an entertaining match got themselves back ahead two minutes later through Musa Eisa’s curling effort from the edge of the box.

But Pirates would go ahead at the stroke of halftime when Shandu scored his second with a tap in from close range after Omar Al Khouja’s attempted clearance fell into his path in the box.

Al Khouja however made amends for his defensive error with a brilliant goal in the 53^rd minute, a well taken shot on the half volley from 35 yards out of goal.

The home side managed to hold on to the lead till the final whistle.

In Port Said, Al Masry moved top of Group C with four points after beating Congolese giants TP Mazembe 2-0.

After a goalless first half, Masry tightened their grip on attack in the second half and they broke the deadlock on the hour mark through Yasser Hamed.

Al Masry players celebrate

Seven minutes later, they scored the second when Tunisian Elyes Jelassi finished off a pass from Mohamed Antar.

In another match, Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli and Algeria’s JS Saoura picked up wins at home to record their maiden victories of the group phase in the 2021-22 season of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.

At the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi, home side Ahly picked a 2-1 win over Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien to move to second in Group A.

Aymen Harzi scored a late penalty for Sfaxien, but it couldn’t be enough to lead a turnaround with the home side having gone ahead through Chadi Hammami’s own goal and Saleh Al Taher’s wonderful goal.

Hammami turned the ball into his own net in the sixth minute to give Ahly the lead, as he stretched his foot to try and cut out Mohamed El-Mounir’s cross from the left. It was a befitting goal for the home side which had been more adventurous upfront from the start.

Sfaxien had an opportunity to draw level on the half hour mark but Hussein Ali’s shot was saved by the keeper. On the other end the Sfax keeper was also made to work, this time punching away Mohamed El Fakih’s freekick after it took an awkward bounce infront of him.

In the second half, Ahly continued to press in attack and they had the second seven minutes after the restart through El Taher’s first time side footed shot off a Mohamed Al Tubal cutback from the left.

Sfaxien pushed to try and get back into the match and their only goal came in the 87^th minute when Harzi scored from the spot after Mohamed Ben Ali was fouled inside the box.

El Fakih would have restored Ahly’s two goal advantage at the death, but his freekick from the edge of the box came off the woodwork.