CAFCL: Esperance claw a point off Petro de Luanda

Substitute forward Aboubacar Diakité headed in a late goal for Tunisian giants Esperance de Tunis in Saturday’s 1-1 CAF Champions League (CAFCL) draw at Petro de Luanda.

The 18-year-old Malian impressively leaped to send a looping header past Petro goalkeeper Hugo Marques from an excellent cross by Esperance left back Mohamed Ben Hamida.

EST’s late equalizer spoiled what appeared to be a perfect start in Group D for Petro, who were looking for two wins from their opening two matches after edging Tanzania’s Simba SC away from home last weekend. After a hard fought but uneventful first half, star forward Tiago Reis produced a brilliant effort shortly after halftime to put the hosts ahead at the Estádio 11 de Novembro.

But the Tunisian champions battled and kept the match close with increasing urgency. Marques produced an excellent save in the 53rd minute from a diving header to keep EST at bay for the time being.

Eventually the home side cracked under the pressure. In the 89th minute, a cross from EST right back Mohamed Ben Ali went across to the left wing, where Ben Hamida had plenty of room to collect and measure a floated cross to the far post for Diakité to nod past Marques.

Petro nearly won it late on but after a floated ball into the EST penalty area fell kindly for Kinito, the defender fired his effort over the bar for the home side’s clearest chance all match.

Esperance earn a needed point away from home after an awful performance in their opening Group D clash, a 0-0 home draw with Stade Malien. They will host Simba SC in an important match when Champions League fixtures resume in late January. Petro, with two points from two matches, will travel to Mali to face Stade Malien.