Orange CAF Champions League: ES Setif shock TP Mazembe
Algerian side, ES Setif reached the final of the 2014 Orange CAF Champions League despite a 3-2 loss to TP Mazembe on Sunday in Lubumbashi.
The ‘Black Eagles’ advanced on the away goal rule after a 4-4 tie, becoming the first Algerian side to reach the final of the premier continental club championship since 1990.
The result serves a huge blow for Mazembe, who were hoping to face rivals, AS Vita in the final. The latter had sealed their place 24-hours earlier after beating CS Sfaxien of Tunisia 2-1 in Sfax.
DR Congo champions, Mazembe led 2-1 at half time but were undone by substitute Sifiane Younes’s late strike that tilted the tide in favour of the visitors.
The TP Mazembe Stadium was filled to capacity with the crowd chanting from the onset, as the hosts needed at least a lone goal win to reach their first final since 2010.
Despite their promising start, it was the visitors who went up after only nine minutes through Abdelmalek Ziaya.
The lead did not last long and Ghana-import Daniel Nii Adjei restored parity on 21 minutes before Malian Salif Coulibaly headed the hosts into the lead for the first time seven minutes before recess.
Nine minutes into the second half, Mbwana Samata weaved his way through the Setif defence, fetched Jonathan Bolingi, who struck a spectacular half volley for the third goal.
At that moment, Mazembe had one foot at the final and they pressed further for more goals. Nii Adjei was unlucky as his thunderbolt was dealt with by the Setif goalie.
On 75 minutes, Younes made his presence felt few minutes after coming with a superb chip that beat Muteba Kidiaba.
The result was now 4-4 and Mazembe who needed to score to edge their opponents, kept the visitors defence boiling for the remainder, but could not find the back of the net.
Setif will face AS Vita in the final where a monetary prize of $1.5 million and a ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco in December awaits the winner.
Source: CAFOnline.com
