Kickoff (Cape Town)
14 September 2008
Zimbabwe's Dynamos scored a last-gasp goal to revive their chances of reaching the African Champions League semi-finals with a surprise 2-1 away win over ASEC Abidjan in the Ivory Coast on Saturday.
Philip Marufu took advantage of a stumble by ASEC defender Moussa Ouattara to snatch the ball midway inside the home side's half and tuck away the last touch of the match which moved his side into second place in Group A.
Marufa had given the Zimbabweans the lead on 54 minutes with a well taken left footed strike from close range after his initial effort had been parried away by ASEC goalkeeper Daniel Yeboah.
ASEC, who would have been on the cusp of a semi-final place had they won, scored a deserved equaliser through Bi Cyriac Gohi in the 73rd minute after a period of sustained pressure.
The result ensured qualification to the semi-finals for Al Ahli, who play their penultimate group match against Egyptian rivals Zamalek on Sunday.
Dynamos are four points off top spot on six points, one ahead of ASEC, with a final group match to come next weekend against Zamalek who prop up the standings on four points. The top two teams progress to the semi-finals.
Ghana champions, Kumasi Asante moved temporarily to the top of Group B after a 3-1 victory over JS Kabylie of Algeria in their Group B Day three clash on Saturday at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
A brace from leading striker Eric Bekoe and another from Jordan Opoku aided the Porcupine Warriors to clinch the maximum points that keeps them in contention.
Kotoko has six points from three games, while the rest follow in that order on three points apiece.
The Ghanaian champions started off brightly but had to wait till after 38 minutes to break the deadlock, through Bekoe who beat an offside trap set by the visitors defence to slam home Opoku's pass.
The North Africans resumed strongly after their defensive play in the first half allowed Kotoko dominate possession.
But just as they were finding the feet, Opoku authenticated his side's lead on 69 minutes with the second goal from close range after Bekoe again beat another offside trap by the Algerians to set him up.
Three minutes on, Bekoe sealed victory with his personal second and ninth of the competition by connecting a rebound after J.S.K goalie Faouzi Chaouki had spilled Samuel Inkoom's long drive onto his path.
But a slip in concentration by the Kotoko defence allowed the visitors to grab a consolation through Marash Taieb in the closing stages of the game.
In Alexandria on Friday, Egyptian minnows Harras Al-Hodoud stunned holders CS Sfaxien of Tunisia by beating them 3-1 in their Group A clash.
Ahmed Eid put the continental debutants in the lead after 14 minutes before Ahmed Abdul-Ghani doubled the lead three minutes later.
Ivorian Kouassi Blaise pulled a goal back for Sfaxien in the 21st minute only for Abdul-Hamid Bassiouni restored the Egyptians' two-goal lead six minutes before the interval.
Harras therefore replaces Sfaxien at the top with six points, two more than the defending champions.
Tunisia's Club Africain engages Inter Clube of Angola in the other Group A clash on Sunday.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Kickoff. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
