Friday’s CAF Champions League clash in Group C went as expected with Algerian champions CR Belouizdad cruising to a comfortable 4-1 victory over Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy. Le Chabab move into first place following the result while Galaxy’s elimination from contention for the knockout stages is all but confirmed at this point.
The hosts dominated in Algiers and Galaxy goalkeeper Anthony Gouws was the main reason the visitors kept the score from being more lopsided. After coming up with a double save in the 7th minute, Gouws did brilliantly to save a tame penalty kick from Karim Aribi after CRB’s Khaled Bousseliou was tripped up in the area.
Galaxy’s joy at escaping an early deficit did not last for long. CRB continued to pile on the pressure and in the 23rd minute, a corner kick from Mohamed Bakir found center back Chouaib Keddad for a bouncing header towards goal. Moagi Sechele, guarding the goal line, used his hand to block the shot and another penalty kick was awarded along with a straight red card to Sechele. Gouws guessed right and got a hand to Bakir’s spot kick but could only tip the ball off the post and in.
Shortly before halftime CRB doubled their lead when left back Chamseddine Nessakh sent a perfectly weighted pass down the wing to Zakaria Draoui, whose cross picked out Aribi for a shot that deflected over a helpless Gouws. Soon after halftime Galaxy added a bit of doubt when a free kick from Gilbert Baruti was flicked by a CRB defender to a wide open Thabang Sesinyi, who made no mistake heading in from six yards out.
That was as close as Galaxy got to obtaining a result. CRB restored their two-goal advantage in the 70th minute when Housseyn Selmi collected a cross that was headed to the edge of the area and curled a beautiful strike over Gouws and into the net. The hosts made it 4-1 late on in second half stoppage time when Mohamed Belkhir played a slick combination to get behind on the left wing and he lofted a ball for Khairedine Merzougui, who did well on an over the shoulder volley to beat Gouws for his third goal in CAFCL play.
Highlights are below.
