- Both sides lost 1-0 in their opening matches
- They were each playing away from home
- The second round matches will be played next weekend
Sudanese giants Al Merrikh and Al Hilal both suffered Champions League upsets on the first match day of the group phase with identical 1-0 losses. Merrikh suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Esperance courtesy of a late goal while Hilal lost by the same margin away to Mamelodi Sundowns.
In Tunis, Mohamed Amine Tougai scored at the death as Tunisian giants Esperance edged out Merrikh at the Olympic Stadium in El-Menzah.
Esperance knew they had to start strong in what is considered as the group of death in the competition and they had an early chance with Anice Badri shooting wide. Ali Bin Ramadan also had an effort fly over.
Al Merrikh were patient in their attack and they landed their first chance eight minutes to the break but Brazilian Mathos Bosa saw his shot saved by keeper Moez Bin Sharifia.
At the tail end of the first half, Badri had another close chance, but he saw it go begging.
Esperance increase second half pace
Esperance got off the second half with as much pace and they were denied by the post in the 53rd minute when Mohamed El Houni’s shot beat the keeper but came off the woodwork.
Esperance continued to pile the pressure with Badri especially being a thorn in the flesh for Al Merrikh. With seven minutes added on, the home side knew they needed to push for a winner.
And they did so in the 94th minute when Tougai pounced on a rebound after the Merrikh keeper had spilled the ball, planting it into the net for the vital goal.
Esperance will now quickly shift their attention to the next duel when they travel away to Algeria to face Belouizdad in a top of the table clash while Merrikh will be at home against Zamalek.
Elsewhere in Pretoria, Cassius Mailula’s first-half goal saw Sundowns prevail as Hilal had to finish the match with 10 men following a sending off.
Defender Altayeb Abaker was sent off with four minutes of regulation time left following a second yellow card for a deliberate handball.
Mailula winner
Mailula scored what would be the winner in the 25th minute of the match when he reacted quickest to tap the ball home from close range after Hilal keeper Ali Abdala Abosheren spilled a shot from the edge of the box off Neo Maema.
Hilal’s best chance to draw level before the break was in the 28th minute when a well weighted cross from the right found Mohamed Abdelrahman inside the box, but the skipper could not glance his header on target unmarked.
In the second half, it turned out to be a tactical battle between the two sides. Sundowns had a golden chance with Mailula almost netting a second, but his close range effort was blocked by keeper Abosheren.
Hilal gave in a good account and Glody Makaby had a chance when he slapped a shot from inside the box but it didn’t gather enough steam, the keeper making a routine save.
Their efforts were however punctured when Abaker was sent off and Sundowns managed the situation well to guard the three points.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login