Asec Abidjan’s 1-0 win over Al-Hilal of Sudan in the African Champions League on Sunday has thrown the chase for semifinal places in Group B wide open.
The Côte d’Ivoire champions won their first game of the group phase with an individual goal from Antoine Ngossan, moving to within one point of Al-Hilal.
The Sudanese are second in the standings but their possible progress to the semifinals is now under threat, not only from ASEC but also Esperance of Tunisia, who are last in the standings but sit just two points behind Al-Hilal.
Esperance won their first game of the group competition on Saturday as Slama Kasdaoui scored six minutes before halftime against defending champions Al-Ahli of Egypt.
It was also their first goal in Group B and now gives them an outside chance of reaching the last four.
Al-Ahli lost their 100% record but remain top of the standings and will qualify in the penultimate round if they win at Al-Hilal on August 19.
Asec host Esperance in their next match with both sides needing to win to stay in contention. The loser will be eliminated from the race for the semifinals.
Tunisia’s other representatives Etoile Sahel are the first side to book a berth in the last four, after beating JS Kabylie of Algeria 2-0 away on Friday.
Goals from Muri Ogunbiyi and Amine Chermiti secured unbeaten Etoile a second away win in Group A.
Three points behind them are this season’s surprise package, Al-Ittihad of Libya, who won 2-0 at home on Friday over Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces.
Younes Shibani score his fourth goal of this year’s competition and Salem Rewani his fifth as the Libyans, debutants in the group phase of the competition, won to put themselves three points away from the semis. – Reuters