CAFCL: Stade Malien continue strong start with Simba win

Malian champions Stade Malien are emerging as contenders in Group B of the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) after Sunday’s 2-1 home victory over Simba SC of Tanzania.

Two goals inside the opening half hour was enough for Les Blancs to follow up their impressive opening match draw at Esperance de Tunis with a victory over the Dar es Salaam giants at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako.

The visitors got off to a hot start and should have taken the lead inside thirty seconds but Elie Mpanzu’s curled effort rattled the post. Fifteen minutes later the hosts made the Reds pay the price. A cross from Ousmane “Kalaba” Coulibaly was nodded down by captain Mamadou Traoré for Taddeus Nkeng to finish from close range.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors in the 23rd minute when Ismaila Simpara flashed to the near post and met an Abdoul Bode corner kick service with a perfect flick header past goalkeeper Yakoub Suleiman.

The visitors received a shot in the arm early in the second half when Neo Maema unleashed a stunning strike from distance to cut the lead in half. The match remained in suspense when Nkeng received an opportunity from the penalty spot after a foul in the visitors’ penalty area. However, the Cameroonian forward’s spot kick was well saved by Suleiman.

But the Tanzania Mainland Premier League runners-up could not muster an equalizer and their hopes were all but eliminated when halftime substitute Alassane Kanté dragged down forward Zoumana Simpara. Judged to the be the last player, Kanté was issued a red card for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity.

Now level at the top of Group D with Angola’s Petro de Luanda on four points, Stade Malien are off to a dream start and will focus on domestic duties until they host Petro in late January. Simba, yet to collect a point through two games, will travel to Tunis to face group favorites Esperance.