Etoile and Mazembe score gift goals in thriller
What you need to know:
- Robert Kidiaba, a 40-year-old famed for bouncing around the penalty area on his bottom when celebrating, gifted title-holders Etoile the first-leg lead in Mediterranean resort Sousse.
- It was a goal that would have embarrassed a schoolboy, never mind the colourful, pony-tailed shot-stopper who has been with Mazembe for 14 years.
- Fellow goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi, a 32-year-old Etoile stalwart, was at fault when Mazembe levelled seven minutes after half-time to silence a capacity 25,000 Stade Olympique crowd.
- Believing Roger Assale would cross he moved forward, only to be caught out when the Ivorian raider scored with a shot that went in at the near post.
JOHANNESBURG
Blunders by veteran goalkeepers proved costly as Etoile Sahel of Tunisia and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo drew 1-1 Sunday in a CAF Confederation Cup semi-final thriller.
Recalled Robert Kidiaba, a 40-year-old famed for bouncing around the penalty area on his bottom when celebrating, gifted title-holders Etoile the first-leg lead in Mediterranean resort Sousse.
He allowed a Hamza Lahmar free-kick that deflected off the defensive 'wall' to squeeze between him and the near post into the net on 19 minutes.
It was a goal that would have embarrassed a schoolboy, never mind the colourful, pony-tailed shot-stopper who has been with Mazembe for 14 years.
Fellow goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi, a 32-year-old Etoile stalwart, was at fault when Mazembe levelled seven minutes after half-time to silence a capacity 25,000 Stade Olympique crowd.
MOVED FORWARD
Believing Roger Assale would cross he moved forward, only to be caught out when the Ivorian raider scored with a shot that went in at the near post.
Both teams wasted late chances to win an absorbing showdown between two of the most successful clubs in CAF competitions.
Each has claimed nine titles, a feat matched by Zamalek and bettered only by another Egyptian outfit, Al Ahly, who have lifted 19 African trophies.
Etoile are the only club to have won all five present and past CAF competitions — the Champions League, Confederation Cup, Super Cup and the now defunct African Cup Winners Cup and CAF Cup.
The return match is scheduled for Congolese mining hub Lubumbashi next Sunday and the overall winners will meet Mouloudia Bejaia of Algeria or FUS Rabat of Morocco in the two-leg final.
Debutant semi-finalists Bejaia host 2010 Confederation Cup title-holders FUS in a first leg that kicks off late Sunday and ends after midnight local time.
