Wednesday

Group D

Rayon Sports   1-2   USM Alger Gor Mahia       4-0   Young Africans

In the end it was not a Rayon Sports moment but USM Alger’s as forward Abderaouf Benguit sealed an extraordinary comeback from one goal down to defeat the hosts 2-1 in stoppage time on Wednesday night at Kigali Stadium – to ensure they held onto Group D lead.

Ismaila Diarra opened the scoring in the 27th minute to hand the home side an early lead, which could have been doubled or tripled before half-time, had the Malian-born striker and Christ Mbondi not been too wasteful on the night.

Despite conceding early in the game, the visitors kept their cool, grew in confidence as the game went on and started having more of the ball which resulted in Farouk Chafai’s equalizer seconds before half-time break.

After recess, the Algerian giants returned even more aggressive and sharper but goalie Abouba Bashunga and his defense, led by Thiery Manzi, were alert to keep the score-line at 1-1, until Benguit netted a break-my-heart goal in the dying seconds (90+2 minute) of the game from Redouane Cherifi’s brilliant assist.

As early as in the 10th minute, Diarra had a clear chance to put the hosts ahead but failed to round off USM Alger’s goalie in a one-on-one situation, squandering a fantastic cross from Cameroonian forward Christ Mbondi.

After the firing of former skipper Eric ‘Bakame’ Ndayishimiye last month, the Blues opted to start Bashunga in goal sticks while they also notably lacked the services of star playmaker Yannick Mukunzi, Olivier Seif Niyonzima and left-back Eric Rutunga, all through injuries.

Meanwhile, Rwanda international Jacques Tuyisenge was on target as Kenyan champions Gor Mahia humiliated Tanzania’s Young Africans 4-0 in another Group D clash, in Nairobi.

A double from teammate Ephraim Guikan and an own-goal sealed Gor’s massive victory.

After three match rounds, USM Alger lead Group D with 7 points, two ahead of second-placed Gor Mahia while Roberto Oliveira’s Rayon are in third place with two points, followed by struggling Young Africans who are located at the bottom with one point.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw