An efficient performance from Algerian side ES Sétif helped them overtake South Africa’s AmaZulu in Group B with a 2-0 CAF Champions League victory on Saturday. First half goals from Riad Benayad and Akram Djahnit make it six points from four games for both teams but Sétif now hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Usuthu. Both teams lead last place Horoya by three points and trail Group B leaders Raja by the same margin.
The matchup was even and AmaZulu had designs on earning an important point on the road, but a struggling ES Sétif side playing under a caretaker manager looked relaxed and more threatening in the final third. Sétif hit the Durban-based side with a quick strike on the break in the 11th minute when central midfielder Ahmed Kendouci played an incisive ball through the high AmaZulu defensive line. Benayad did excellently to stay up under pressure from defender Tapelo Xoki before running on and passing the ball past a stationary Veli Mothwa in goal.
Composure in attack led to a second goal for Sétif with the last kick of the first half. A poor pass by AmaZulu’s Makhehlene Makhaula created a 3-on-3 counter for the hosts and Kendouci laid a pass back to an open Djahnit at the edge of the penalty area. Djahnit set up Benayad for a low shot that Mothwa parried right into the path of Djahnit for an easy finish on the rebound.
AmaZulu continued to be wasteful when opportunities fell their way, the most glaring of which came in the 56th minute when a Keegan Buchanan free kick led to a horrible missed punch by by Sétif goalkeeper Sofiane Khedaira and the ball fell right to Augustine Mulenga. Bongi Ntuli was set up by Mulenga for an easy finish but somehow put his shot off the crossbar from six yards out with Khedaira out of his goal.
The South African side failed to put any of their ten shots on target and Sétif held on for the shutout without too much trouble. Highlights of the match are below.
