CR Belouizdad secured a 2-0 win over Esperance de Tunis in 2020/21 CAF Champions League quarter-final first leg clash plated at Stade de 5 Juliet in Algeria.
Victory leaves the White and Reds in pole position heading into the second-leg in Rades on the 22nd of May.
The match started in a lively fashion, with both sides moving the ball around nice and quick, while Esperance’s Anice Badri went close with a long range effort that sailed just wide of the upright.
Marcelin Koukpo should have opened the scoring on the 16th, the Beninese showed great control before curling his effort just wide of the target from close range.
Ilyes Cheti came close to giving Esperance the lead in the 26th minute, as his strike from the edge of the area sailed inches wide of the upright.
Belouizdad took the lead in the 35th minute, as Zakaria Draoui beat his marker to send powerful shot into the far corner for a deserved lead.
Despite Belouizdad dominance with the ball, Anice Badri created a chance for the Blood and Gold in the 40th minute, as he forced Toufiq Moussaoui into fine save from 25-yards out.
However, it was one way traffic for large parts of the first half with Belouizdad’ s Housseyn Semi dictating play in the middle of the park.
Taha Khenissi should have leveled the matter 55th minute, the winger played a neat one-two with Badri, before firing a tame effort at Moussaoui from close range.
Choahaib Kenan could have added the hosts advantage in the 60th minute, but he failed to trouble Ben Cherifia form 12-yards out.
Esperance almost leveled matter in the 70th minute from a quick counter-attack after Khenissi found himself with space in the box but his goal-bound shot was brilliantly saved by Moussaoui with his right leg.
Belouizdad eventually doubled their lead in the 82nd minute thanks to powerful strike from Amir Saydou.
Ahmed Gasmi should have added a third in the 88th minute but the defender failed to direct his header on target from six-yards out.
Esperance had a couple promising moves in the latter stages of the half but could not bypass a solid Belouizdad defence.
