CAF CC: Nsoatreman All but Out of Africa After First Leg Defeat to Constantine

• Nsoatreman FC fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat to CS Constantine in the first leg of their CAF Confed Cup playoff tie
• The Ghanaian side will travel to Algeria for the second leg slated for next Saturday, September 21
• Heading into the return fixture, Nsoatreman will need to tighten up defensively and find their shooting boots

Nsoatreman FC’s hopes of advancing to the CAF Confederation Cup group stages took a major hit following a 2-0 defeat to CS Constantine in their first-leg playoff on Friday afternoon.

The Ghanaian side, fresh off an impressive win over Elect Sport from Chad in the previous round, fell victim to a first-half brace from Zakaria Benchaa, which left them with an uphill battle ahead of the reverse tie.

Constantine's Benchaa downs Nsoatreman

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From the onset, Yaw Preko’s side displayed intent, dominating possession and pinning their Algerian opponents deep into their half.

The Ghanaian FA Cup champions came close to grabbing an early lead when forward Stephen Diyou narrowly missed the target with a powerful strike, setting the tone for a high-paced encounter.

However, despite their initial pressure, Nsoatreman found themselves on the back foot after a costly turnover in midfield.

According to 3news, Benchaa pounced on the opportunity, showing composure as he skipped past his marker and slotted the ball through the legs of the goalkeeper to give Constantine the lead.

Nsoatreman’s response was spirited as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Constantine’s well-organised defence proved difficult to break.

Their resistance paid off once again when they punished the Ghanaian side with a swift counter-attack.

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Once again demonstrating his quality, Benchaa unleashed a thunderous shot from outside the box in the 27th minute, doubling the visitors’ advantage and leaving the Nsoatreman goalkeeper helpless, per Kickgh.

The second goal visibly deflated the home side, but tactical changes after halftime brought some attacking impetus.

The introduction of Benjamin Tsivanyo and Collins Kudjo injected pace and creativity into the final third, but despite their efforts, Nsoatreman struggled with their finishing.

Key striker Abdul Rahman Mohammed, who had been instrumental in previous matches, squandered a couple of chances, and the team’s wastefulness in front of goal ultimately cost them dearly.

Although Nsoatreman improved their ball progression, their inability to convert chances into goals left them with a mountain to climb in the second leg.

Nsoatreman thump Elect Sport

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Nsoatreman earned a decisive 3-0 win against Elect Sport in the first leg of their CAF Confederations Cup preliminary round on Sunday, August 18.

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The Ghanaian FA Cup champions, competing in their first-ever CAF Interclub tournament, dominated the game with a first-half onslaught, putting themselves in a commanding position ahead of the return leg.

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Source: YEN.com.gh