Tunisia’s US Monastir are in excellent shape in Group D of the CAF Confederation Cup after last season’s Ligue 1 Professionnelle runners-up defeated Congolese champions TP Mazembe 1-0 in Tunis on Wednesday. Boubacar Traoré headed in the match’s only goal in the opening three minutes before the hosts held off a furious charge from the Ravens for three points. Monastir are top of the group with ten points through four matches while Mazembe remain on three points, one back of second placed Young Africans SC from Tanzania.
Monastir cannot hosts home fixtures at their stadium but are making the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium a fortress with two wins from two Group D home games. A dream start saw USM take the lead through Malian midfielder Traoré who charged in to head home Haykeul Chikhaoui’s free kick service from the left wing.
The hosts did not create much after that on the attacking end but did well to frustrate a wasteful Mazembe attack. The Ravens from Lubumbashi generally failed to put their shots on target and Monastir goalkeeper Bechir Ben Saïd came up with an important save in the 67th minute to deny Ernest Luzolo. Mazembe have plenty of work to do in order to reach a top-two spot and will likely need to win in Mali against Real Bamako as well as at home against Young Africans in their final group stage match.
Highlights from Wednesday’s clash are below.
