Alegria’s Mouloudia Bejaia Sunday failed to make home support count when they played hosts to Morocco’s FUS Rabat in the first-leg of the Caf Confederation Cup semis.
Staged at the Stade de l’Unité Maghrébine, MO watched their advantage slip off slugging out a final drab goalless stalemate.
Betorangal was one of key stars of the hosts gripped by goal profligacy and could have gifted MO chance to race into an early lead had he not let fly a begging chance right over the crossbar after thirty minutes ticked. The Algerians had a goal disallowed.
After withstanding pressure for much of the half, visitors outfit FUS Rabat had a chance to nick a last-gasp winner when MO went a man down with the sending off of Adel Lakhdari, ten minutes from time.
FUS’s qualification to the semis hasn’t been an easy flow in the wake of three draws prior to this one, making outcome the first-leg fixture all too guessable. Yususpha Njie got thrown in the second-half as winger El-Gnaoui’s replacement twenty-two minutes from time.
A winner must emerge in second-leg when MO returns visit next Sunday and FUS will fancy going through to the finals to bring to reality their vision of a double delight after winning the Moroccan Botola Pro League for the first time months ago.
In the other semi-final clash, nine CAF title winners TP Mazembe held holders Etoile Du Sahel to a 1-1 tie at the Stade Olympique de Sousse in Tunis.
Wing-wizard Hamza Lahmar placed gaffer Benzarti’s charges in front after just twenty minutes sending fans to raptures but a Roger Claver Assalé Djapone delectable effort in the 52nd minute evened matters.
Featured Photo: Courtesy of EPA agency
