Etoile defeat Hilal with 10 men to reach semi-finals
Etoile Sahel of Tunisia reached the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals on Tuesday thanks to a 2-1 win over Al Hilal of Sudan despite playing the entire second half with 10 men.
Etoile Sportive du Sahel players celebrate a goal (BackpagePix)
Striker Karim Aribi was red-carded in first half stoppage-time soon after cancelling the lead Waleed Bakhet gave Hilal in the Egyptian city of Suez.
Although numerically disadvantaged, the Tunisian contained the Sudanese after half-time until Wajdi Kechrida scored the quarter-final second leg winner 10 minutes from time.
Etoile won the tie 5-2 on aggregate having established a 3-1 lead in Mediterranean resort Sousse 15 days ago and will face Zamalek of Egypt over two legs for a place in the final.
The return match, originally scheduled for Omdurman on April 14, was delayed and moved to Egypt amid security concerns after the overthrow of Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir.
Bakhet became the leading Confederation Cup scorer this season with seven goals when he put Hilal ahead on 30 minutes.
But the lead lasted just six minutes before Aribi levelled for Etoile, who won the competition which is the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League in 2006 and 2015.
The closest Hilal came to lifting the Confederation Cup was in 2012 when they lost a semi-final against Djoliba of Mali on penalties.
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