Wydad, Zesco Advance Thanks To Ondama Winner

JOHANNESBURG,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th August, 2016) : Fabrice Ondama ended a 724-minute African goal drought to take his club, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, and Zesco United of Zambia into the CAF Champions League semi-finals Monday.

The 28-year-old Congo Brazzaville striker scored in the final minute of a Group A match, enabling Wydad to pull off a dramatic 2-1 victory over ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast in Rabat.

Apart from assuring Wydad and second-place Zesco of last-four spots, the Ondama winner eliminated record eight-time champions Al Ahly of Egypt from the title race. Zesco host Wydad on August 24 needing a victory to finish first and face Zamalek of Egypt or Enyimba of Nigeria in the semi-finals. Wydad have 10 points after matchday 5, Zesco eight, Ahly five and ASEC four.

Ahly can finish level on points with Zesco but have an inferior head-to-head record.

Group B winners Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa face the Group A runners-up in the other semi-final. Ondama, whose last CAF goal came in a 5-1 qualifying rout of Malagasy club CNaPS Sport five months ago, scored off a rebound to end the title hopes of ASEC.

Recent signing Abdeladim Khadrouf gave dominant Wydad the lead on 59 minutes, firing past goalkeeper Herve Koffi Kouakou from close range after an Ondama cut-back. But ASEC equalised 10 minutes later as Yannick Zakri held off several defenders on the edge of the penalty area before beating goalkeeper Zouheir Laaroubi with a low shot into the corner. Victory was a huge relief for Wales-born Wydad coach John Toshack, the former Real Madrid manager who had watched his team falter alarmingly after an impressive start in Group A.