Esperance held in Angola as scoring form deserts them

After scoring 16 goals in their first three 2024-25 Caf Champions League matches, Tunisian club Esperance were held 0-0 by Angolan hosts Sagrada Esperanca in Luanda on Friday.

The away point did take the four-time African champions to the top of group D with four points, one more than Egyptian hopefuls Pyramids, who play Malian outfit Djoliba in Bamako on Sunday.

Sagrada secured their first point having been hammered 5-1 by Pyramids in Cairo last month – a result that led to coach Roque Sapiri being fired with Antonio Lebo-Lebo taking over.

Just a point for each of the teams in their Matchday 2 game of the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/WA4nnG7uwQ

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) December 6, 2024

Having scored 12 times against Somali side Dekedaha in a two-leg qualifier and four against Djoliba in matchday one 10 days ago, Esperance wasted several second-half chances to find the net.

The miss of the match came from Algerian Youcef Belaili, the leading Champions League scorer this season with five goals, who displayed superb ball control only to blaze wide from close range.

Raed Bouchniba and Brazilian Rodrigo Rodrigues also squandered chances to break the deadlock at the national stadium in the Angolan capital.

There are five matches on Saturday with the group C clash of Orlando Pirates of South Africa and defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt in Soweto the highlight.