Algerians Setif conquer Africa despite draw
Algerians Entente Setif won the CAF Champions League despite being held 1-1 at home by Congolese side Vita Club in the second leg of the final.
According to FIFA.com,Setif lifted the premier African club football trophy on the away-goal rule after a 3-3 aggregate tie having drawn the first leg 2-2 in Kinshasa last weekend. Sofiane Younes scored for Setif after 49 minutes and Lema Mabidi equalised five minutes later before a sell-out 35,000 crowd in Blida.
It was a remarkable victory for the Black Eagles as Algerian football officials wanted the club to withdraw from the Champions League, believing they would not be competitive. Setif also won the title in 1988 and join JS Kabylie as Algerian teams who have conquered Africa twice.
Vita Club conceded a foul and a corner and cleared a header off the line within two minutes of the kick-off as Setif sought an early goal. The Congolese survived the storm to create the best chance of a cagey opening half on 40 minutes, but Guy Lusadisu Basisila fired over.
Younes poked the ball into the net at the far post after two better placed team-mates failed to connect with a low El-Hedi Belameiri cross. But the joy of the predominantly Algerian crowd was short-lived as Mabidi, who scored twice in the first leg, pounced on a partly cleared cross to hammer the ball into the net.
Setif became increasingly cautious as the second half progressed, knowing a 1-1 draw would suffice to win the title. In a rare Algerian incursion deep into the Vita Club half, Akram Djahnit forced a save from goalkeeper Nelson Lukong.
Rival coaches Kheireddine Madoui and Florent Ibenge made three substitutions each late in the game, but no newcomer made a telling impact. The last chance for Vita Club came one minute into stoppage time when they were awarded a 30-metre free-kick, but the shot at goal finished well off target.
Success for Setif earned a FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final date with Moghreb Tetouan from hosts Morocco or Auckland City in December.
M.D