Disputed penalty gives Zesco victory
What you need to know:
- Top group seeds Zesco United of Zambia and CS Sfaxien of Tunisia gained 1-0 home victories Saturday as matchday 1 of the CAF Confederation Cup continued.
- Zesco edged Smouha of Egypt in Copperbelt city Ndola thanks to a disputed 72nd-minute penalty converted by Kenyan Jesse Were.
- The award of the spot-kick angered Egyptian coach Momen Soliman, who took Cairo club Zamalek to the final of the more lucrative CAF Champions League last year.
JOHANNESBURG
Top group seeds Zesco United of Zambia and CS Sfaxien of Tunisia gained 1-0 home victories Saturday as matchday 1 of the Caf Confederation Cup continued.
Zesco edged Smouha of Egypt in Copperbelt city Ndola thanks to a disputed 72nd-minute penalty converted by Kenyan Jesse Were.
The award of the spot-kick angered Egyptian coach Momen Soliman, who took Cairo club Zamalek to the final of the more lucrative Caf Champions League last year.
According to the Ghanaian referee, Burkina Faso international Patrick Malo handled inside the box, but Soliman disagreed.
"Zesco United are among the best teams in Africa and they do not need help from referees to win matches.
"This (controversial penalties) used to happen a lot in CAF competitions about 10 years ago.
"But the introduction of satellite television helped to put a stop to the practice because matches are now broadcast live.
"We have lost this match because of a penalty and every one in Africa saw what happened."
Recreativo Libolo of Angola host Al Hilal Obeid of Sudan Sunday in the other Group C fixture.
Record three-time Confederation Cup winners Sfaxien found the going tougher than expected against group-stage debutants Swallows.
Having scored seven goals in two home qualifiers, the Tunisians had to settle for just one, from Alaa Marzouki on 31 minutes in Mediterranean city Sfax.
The other Group B fixture between Platinum Stars of South Africa and Mouloudia Alger of Algeria is set for Sunday.
