AFL: Esperance humbles TP Mazembe to book semifinal spot

Beaten (1-0) in the first leg by Tout Puissant Mazembe, Sunday at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar Es Salaam, Tunisian club Espérance Sportive de Tunis easily caught up this Thursday evening at home, dominating the Congolese 3-0, thanks to goals by Oussama Bougerra (brace) and Mohamed-Amine Tougai late in the second half.

The win sees the hosts make it to the last four, where they will face the winner of the Wydad - Enyimba duel.

It is on the strength of its small lead (1-0) obtained in the first leg that Tout Puissant Mazembe presented itself this evening at the Radès Olympic Stadium for the return leg of the quarter-finals of the African Football League (AFL), facing at Esperance in Tunis.

Pushed by a big crowd, the Tunisians had no trouble catching up, dominating from one end of the game to the other, and left no chance for Mundeko and his partners who, three times, went to get the ball in their nets.

The start of the game fully set the tone.

Only three minutes were enough for Rodrigo Rodrigues Silva to light the first fuse.

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He powerfully took over a cross from Ben Hamida from the left flank, forcing goalkeeper Baggio Siadi to push the ball back for a corner.

A header from Mohamed Tougai receiving a corner from the right corner after 14 minutes just missed the target.

The domination of Tarek Thabet's foals finally came to fruition at the very end of the first period, when a corner taken by Houssen Teka was headed by Bougerra into the Lush club's goals.

Entrenched in its own half, TP Mazembe finished the first round without ever worrying the Tunisian defense, as its attempts at counter-attacks were generally nipped in the bud by the high pressing of the reds and yellows.

The first period thus ended with a perfect tie across both matches, auguring a more electric second act.

The three changes made by Lamine N'Diaye at the start of the second half with the entries of Zemanga (midfielder), Luzolo (defender) and Beya (attacker) were intended to give more freshness to his almost non-existent team.

But the Tunisians were still the first to show themselves dangerous.

Goalkeeper Siadi once again (after 60 minutes) intervened against Yan Sasse found in an ideal position in the area, before keeping away a Teka recovery from the following corner.

Mazembe finally stood out on a counter led by Philippe Kinzumbi who infiltrated the area before cleverly slipping in a shot pushed back by Memmich.

The Tunisian goalkeeper then repelled a shot from Glody Likonza found in the area after another rush from Kinzumbi on the right side.

The Algerian Tougai definitively dampened the hopes of TP Mazembe by victoriously heading a free kick from the Brazilian Yan Sasse from the left in the 86th minute.

He anticipated the exit of goalkeeper Siadi who misjudged the trajectory of the ball, marking the ending for the game that set the tone for the Tunisian side for the rest of the competition.