Entente take first leg of Confed Cup
Entente take first leg of Confed Cup
Posted: 2009-11-30 10:01
Algerian club Entente Setif defeated Stade Malien of Mali 2-0 at home to win the first leg of the Confederation Cup final.
A brace from the competition’s top scorer 25-year-old Abdulmalek Ziaya clinched the win for Entente. This takes his tally to 15 goals in 15 games, and boosts his chances of an international call-up.
His first was a penalty, awarded by South African referee Daniel Bennett, which Stade’s keeper parried back into Ziaya's path for him to score.
His second came with 10 minutes remaining when he initially failed to control a cross, but spun around and shot right-footed past the keeper.
The second half of this encounter was a frustrating affair with neither team really taking control.
Entente Setif are hoping to make 2009 a memorable year for Algerian football following the national team’s qualification for the World Cup in South Africa.
According to a BBC report, Ziaya will be hoping his performance in this competition could earn him a call-up from national coach Rabah Saadane for the Nations Cup tournament in January in Angola.
Apart from the prize money and prestige, whoever emerges victorious from this competition will face African Champions League holders TP Mazembe of DR Congo next year for the Super Cup.
Bennett was assisted by countrymen Andrew Reezers and Toko Malebo and had Pretoria school teacher Matthew Dyer as the fourth official.
It is the second major African Cup Final for Bennett, who is also set to blow at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Angola in January.
Jerome Damon, who is also Angola-bound, was selected to handle the CAF Champions League final last month but then taken off the match because he went to the Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria instead.
Both Bennett and Damon were also given key World Cup qualifiers to referee this month.
Have you discussed this topic on Team KICK OFF? Click Here...
Comment on this article:
TERMS OF USE: The comments posted below do not reflect the views of KickOff.com. Users are reminded that no misuse of this comment facility will be tolerated. Any abusive, racist or inflammatory comments will be deleted and the user banned. Please report abusive posts to editor@kickoff.com