Asec Mimosas and Pyramids moved top of their respective groups in the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup after clinching home victories on match day three. Ivorians Asec were 2-0 winners at home against Diables Noirs of Congo to go top of Group B while Pyramids won 1-0 in Cairo against AS Kara of Togo to move to the apex of Group C.

In Abidjan, Asec came into the match from last weekend’s heavy 3-0 loss away to Nigeria’s Rivers United, and needed a huge response to get their campaign back on track. The first half was cagy and chances weren’t many for either side.

The game however opened up in the second half when Karamoko Sankara finished off Kouassi Attohoula Yao’s assist to break the deadlock after 65 minutes. It was a relieving goal for the home side who had started the second half on the front foot.

Sankara had scored just 13 minutes after he had come on for Gahe Didier. Ten minutes later, he turned from scorer to provider when he laid off the assist for Kramo Aubin to net the second and put the game to bed for the home side.

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Diables didn’t have a response as they failed to mount a comeback. They remain on four points off a win and a draw and second in the group.

Elsewhere in Cairo, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef’s goal in the first half was all Pyramids needed to edge out Togo’s Kara. Youssef powered home a header in the 28th minute when skipper Abdallah Said’s cross found him at the edge of the six yard box.

Said had an opportunity at goal himself when he swung an effort on the volley from distance, but the keeper made a good save.

Kara piled the pressure, forcing Pyramids into their own half in the second half, but they couldn’t get a way back into the match.

Meanwhile in Bamako, hosts Real de Bamako scored a 91st minute leveller as they played to a 1-1 draw with Tanzania’s Yanga.

Yanga were headed for a vital win away from home following last weekend’s heroics that saw them beat TP Mazembe, but poor marking from a setpiece cost them the victory. Defender Emile Kone netted the equalizer with a neat header at the near post.

Yanga had gone into the lead on the hour mark through Fiston Mayele. The Congolese forward picked the ball at the edge of the area before turning and shooting low on his left foot.

The game didn’t have many chances. In the first half, the closest was Yanga’s Kennedy Musonda whose shot from distance came off the outside of the post. Bamako’s only chance on target was off a Makan Samabaly freekick that was punched away by the Yanga keeper.

The result sees Yanga remain second in Group D with four points while Bamako are bottom with two points from back to back draws.

By Brian Mboh