Sundowns suffocate Esperance in smoky cauldron
JOHANNESBURG: Titleholders Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa contained Tunisian side Esperance Thursday to force a 0-0 CAF Champions League draw in an intimidating smoke-filled cauldron.
The matchday-four result in Rades lifted Sundowns to second in Group C with five points, three behind Esperance and ahead of Saint George of Ethiopia on goal difference.
Bottom team V Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo have only three points, but are still in contention for a toptwo finish and quarter-finals qualification.
Lacklustre when beaten 2-1 at home by Esperance earlier this month, Sundowns raised their game to create the best scoring opportunity and limit the hosts to a single clearcut chance.
The South Africans exhibited nerves of steel in the closing stages as smoke drifted over the pitch from flares flung by frustrated Tunisians in the 30,000 crowd.
Esperance supporters sang continuously, bounced, and set off firecrackers and flares, but left the national stadium disappointed after seeing their team suffocated by Sundowns.
The miss of the match came in the opening half when South African Percy Tau was one-onone with Moez Ben Cherifia, but shot at the goalkeeper, who pushed the ball away.
Fakhreddine Ben Youssef came closest to breaking the deadlock for Esperance soon after with his close-range header forcing a brilliant reflex save from Denis Onyango.
Although there were no goals and few chances, two well-drilled teams produced high-quality football in one of the best Champions League matches this season.
USM Alger of Algeria scored late in each half to defeat 2016 runners-up Zamalek of Egypt 2-0 in Algiers and replace them as Group B leaders.
Reda Bellahcene nodded USM in front and a superb edge-of-the-box shot from Abderrahmane Meziane sealed success for the 2015 runnersup amid thunderous cheers.
Al Ahly Tripoli rose to second in the same group after a second 4-2 victory over CAPS United of Zimbabwe this month, this time in Tunisian Mediterranean city Sfax.
The Libyans, forced to stage home fixtures in the neighbouring country because of the ongoing Libyan Civil War, led and trailed during the first half.
Saleh al Tahir levelled in the opening minute of the second half and goals from Mohamed al Ghanoudi and Mouad Ellafi by the 63rd minute ensured Ahly collected maximum points.
USM and Ahly have seven points ahead of a matchdayfive showdown, five-time champions Zamalek five and CAPS three.
Al Hilal of Sudan recovered from conceding a late goal to draw 1-1 with Group A leaders Etoile Sahel in Omdurman and rise from last to second.
Rami Bedoui put the visitors ahead four minutes from time only for Mohammed Ahmed Bashir to equalise in the last minute as Hilal stretched a sequence of group draws to four.
Tunisians Etoile have eight points and Hilal, fellow Sudanese club Al Merrikh and Ferroviario Beira of Mozambique four.