USM Alger fortunate to maintain top spot in Group D

USM Alger fortunate to maintain top spot in Group D
Abderaouf Benguit (L) of USM Alger is challenged by Pierrot Kwizera of Rayon Sports

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Sunday Jul 29, 2018. 23:25

Algeria’s USM Alger were fortunate to maintain their top spot in Group D of the Confederation Cup after scoring a late goal to draw 1-1 with Rwanda’s Rayon Sport at the Stade du 5 Juillet on Sunday evening.

The result leaves USM Alger joint top of Group D on eight points with Gor Mahia who beat the Young Africans earlier in the night.

USM Alger controlled the flow of the game and had the lion’s share of possession in the opening stages, but their decision making in the final third let them down.

Instead, the first real chance on goal went the way of the visitors in the 20th minute when Ismaila Diara let fly from long range, but the USM Alger keeper produced a great save to deny him.

Diara, though, did find the back of the net in the 28th minute after a well-worked move concluded with him finding the back of the net to give Rayon Sports the lead, 1-0.

USM Alger suffered a further set-back ten minutes later when Abderrahmane Meziane had to leave the field injured and was replaced by Walid Ardji.

The half ended with the visiting side in the lead.

USM Alger asserted the pressure at the start of the second half and came close to levelling matters ten minutes after the restart when Walid Ardji tried his luck from long range, but his effort went narrowly wide.

The home side persisted and persisted after that, but their decision making in the final third continuously let them down.

Finally, in the 86th minute USM Alger got their reward when Mohamed Amine Hamia found the equaliser with a clinical finish, 1-1.

USM Alger (0) 1 (Hamia 86’)
Rayon Sports (1) 1 (Diara 28’)

Teams

USM Alger: Zemmamouche, Meftah, Chafai, Hamra, Cherifi, Chita, Meziane [Ardji 37’ (Amine Hamia 74’)], Benkhemessa, Benguit, Bouderbal (Sayoud 53’), Yaya.

Rayon Sports: Bashunga, Nyandwi, Mugabo, Manzi, Rwatubyaye, Manishimwe, Mugisha, Mukunzi, Irambona, Diara, Mbondi.




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