KweséESPN Reporter 7y

CAF roundup: Al Ahly face uphill task against Esperance

Record winner Al Ahly face an uphill task staying in the CAF Champions League after a goalkeeping howler allowed Tunisia's Esperance to take a 2-2 draw away from the first leg of their quarterfinal tie on Saturday.

Ahly's keeper Sherif Ekrami rose to catch a long range free kick from Ghailane Chaalali but allowed the ball to slip through his hands into and into his own net for a potentially vital second goal for the visitors, who host the second leg next Saturday.

Two away goals set up Esperance now as favourites but they will be mindful that the vastly experienced Egyptians have been to Tunisia before in similar circumstances and emerged victorious against the odds.

USM Alger are also with one foot in the semifinals after they drew 1-1 away at rookies Ferroviario Maputo, conceding an equaliser to the Mozambican club in the last minute.

In the CAF Confederation Cup, holders TP Mazembe Englebert of the Democratic Republic of Congo won 2-1 in Sudan in their quarterfinal, first leg tie to against Hilal Obayed stay on course for a successful title defence.

In the other all-north African clashes in the Confederation Cup there were narrow wins for home sides FUS Rabat and Mouloudia Alger against Tunisian opposition.

Ahly and Esperance provided lively entertainment with the hosts taking the lead after just 10 minutes when Walid Azaro broke away, only to be fouled by Montassar El Talbi. Abdallah El Said converted the penalty kick for the perfect start at the home side at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria.

But the lead was to last only 10 minutes before Taha Yassine Khenessi notched his sixth goal of the campaign as he rose unmarked at the far post to equalise from a corner.

Then came the calamitous error from Ekrami, forcing Ahly coach Hossam Al Badri to throw on two attacking substitutes ions, which lead to a period of domination with Azaro netting from a rebound in the 67th minute.

In Beira, on a bumpy pitch, USMA went ahead just past the hour mark when Oussama Darfalou netted but the home side, who only made it to the last eight after the disqualification of Sudanese teams in the group, kept alive their hopes with a last minute equaliser from Fabrice Kanda.

Al Hilal Obeid took the lead at home against Mazembe through Mohamed Taher in the 23rd minute but Ben Malongo equalised within eight minutes and then scored the winner seven minutes from time.

Karim Benarif's 18th minute penalty gave FUS a narrow 1-0 lead over CS Sfaxien while Hichem Nekkache scored after just nine minutes as Mouloudia Alger edged Club Africain by the same scoreline.

On Sunday, Champions League holders Mamelodi Sundowns continue their defence when they host Wydad Casablanca while Etoile Sahel are in Alexandria, Egypt where Al Ahli Tripoli are hosting their quarterfinals first leg tie

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