- Cheick Fofana scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win
- Mazmebe played their home leg in Dar es Salaam
- They play the return tie on Wednesday in Tunisia
Cheick Fofana’s 11th minute goal was all TP Mazembe needed as they edged out Tunisia’s Esperance by a solitary goal in the first leg of their African Football League first leg quarter final in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Sunday evening.
Fofana headed home early in the first half, as The Ravens head to Rades with a slim advantage, and they will progress to the semi finals if they avoid defeat away from home.
Mazembe coach Lamine N’Diaye believes they have a good chance to see off the tie away from home, and wants his team to approach the game like they are still on level terms.
“It will be difficult definitely but we will forget this score and start afresh. We will only be focused on getting a good score from that game and do the best to qualify for the semi-final. We have shown our capabilities and I believe we can do better,” the tactician said.
For Esperance’s Tarek Thabet, playing at home will give them an extra advantage, and he says they will analyze the first leg match and try work on the areas that were insufficient.
“Playing at home gives us a slight advantage, but it will not be easy. We need to improve in our scoring because that is the only way we will progress,” Thabet said.
The tactician rued the missed chances his side had in the first leg in Dar es Salaam, noting that it was his biggest point of concern.
Dominated the first half
Action between TP Mazembe and Esperance in Dar es Salaam.
“We dominated the first half very well and were unlucky to concede. But we had three or four situations which we should have scored. We lost the game but we have a second chance and I hope we can make our opportunities count,” the coach added.
Esperance had started faster off the blocks, but it was the Congolese side who broke the deadlock first. The striker rose to head home from inside the box, after a short start to a corner, with Beni Kinzumbi floating in the decisive cross.
Just before that, Taraji had wasted a glorious chance when Oussema Bouguerra volleyed straight to the keeper unmarked inside the box off a cross on the right.
Mazembe were keeping their patience and attacking on transition. They almost scored the second close to halftime but Glody Likonza’s shot from 25 yards out was well collected by the keeper.
Esperance came back with vigour in the second half, and they changed their personnel upfront, Yan Medeires Sasso and Rodrigo Silva coming on. The two would combine for what seemed like the equalizer in the 62nd minute, Silva tapping home from a Sasso cross, but after a long VAR check, the goal was chalked off for a foul in the build-up.
Mazembe with more chances
Action between TP Mazembe and Esperance in Dar es Salaam.
Almost immediately, Mazembe could have added a second when Kinzimbi pickpocketed the ball off a defender on the right, but his shot was saved by the keeper.
The winger was in the mood and minutes later, he danced his way from the right and cut in, but his shot was once again parried away by keeper Amenallah Hemmiche.
Esperance poured everything into the remaining minutes of the match, but Mazembe defended with discipline, ensuring they saw off the slim lead.
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