Goals hard to come by in Saturday’s Caf Interclub action

Five matches across the Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup produced just three goals on Saturday, with Esperance de Tunis and USM Alger securing important victories in the respective competitions.

In the only afternoon match, Power Dynamos of Zambia and Nigeria’s Rivers United played out a goalless stalemate at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola in their Champions League group A clash.

This gave the chance to one of Morocco’s RS Berkane or Pyramids FC of Egypt to all but secure qualification to the knockout phase with a win at the Berkane Municipal Stadium in the late evening. Instead, both North African sides fired blanks to leave them tied on seven points apiece at the top of the group A log – six clear of their rivals.

Elsewhere in the evening, Esperance de Tunis claimed top spot in group D of the Champions League with a 1-0 home win over Tanzania’s Simba SC at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium.

Jack Diarra’s goal midway through the first half proved decisive, though the Blood and Gold could be deposed on Sunday by either Angola’s Petro de Luanda or Stade Malien, who meet in Bamako.

In group B of the Champions League, Algeria’s JS Kabylie and ASFAR of Morocco drew 0-0 at the Hocine Ait Ahmed Stadium in Tizi Ouzou – leaving Egyptian powerhouses Al Ahly three points clear at the top of the log following Friday’s win over Tanzania’s Young Africans.

The only Confederation Cup match of the day came from Stade du 5 Juillet, where USM Alger consolidated their place on top of group A with a 2-0 win over Mali’s Djoliba AC – secured by an early strike from Zakaria Draoui and a late second from Ahmed Khaldi.

The Champions League and Confederation Cup will continue on Sunday with two and seven further matches respectively, headlined by Zesco United hosting Kaizer Chiefs and an Egyptian derby between Zamalek and Al Masry.

SATURDAY’S CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULTS

Power Dynamos 0-0 Rivers United

Esperance de Tunis 1-0 Simba SC

JS Kabylie 0-0 FAR Rabat

RS Berkane 0-0 Pyramids FC

SATURDAY’S CAF CONFEDERATION CUP RESULTS

USM Alger 2-0 Djoliba AC