Etoile du Sahel 2-0 Monomotapa
MONOMOTAPA were rudely woken up from their Champions League dream as Etoile du Sahel kept themselves in contention at the Olympique Stadium on Saturday.
Nigeria’s Heartland, who play Monomotapa in their final Group B match in Harare, are through to the semi-finals and will be joined by winners of the clash between TP Mazembe of the DRC and Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.
In Group A, Sudanese giants Al Hilal and Nigeria’s Kano Pillars are through to the semi-finals after building up unassailable leads.
Monomotapa were tagged “giant killers” after their qualifying round triumph over Ivory Coast’s ASEC Mimosas and their 2-1 opening Group B victory over Etoile du Sahel.
But the Zimbabwean champions have gone backwards since that victory, their domestic league season is in a shambles and their finances are in the red.
The latter problem, perhaps more than anything else, was the reason for their failure to leave an impression on a Champions League campaign that started with promise.
Days before big matches, Monomotapa’s preparations have been hit by player strikes over unpaid allowances or invariably the club has no money to fly the team for important Champions League engagements – sometimes, like they did last Thursday, arriving just hours before kick-off.
In Sousse on Saturday, 140km south of the Tunisian capital Tunis, Monomotapa learnt the age old lesson: Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
Mossab Sassi put Etoile on their way after 11 minutes before Manuel Silva added a second four minutes before the hour to leave the Tunisians still in with a chance to make the semi-final if they can win away to TP Mazembe of the DRC.
Monomotapa coach Rodwell Dhlakama said: “Etoile did not play as well they did in Harare but we let in soft goals because of our poor reaction and failure to concentrate.
"It has been our first time in this competition and we have been gaining a lot of experience from each game.”
That experience may well go to waste as Monomotapa’s defence of their domestic title is floundering. They currently lie 10th on the table, 14 points adrift of leaders Dynamos with just nine matches to play.
Champions League Results
Group A
Kano Pillars 3-2 Zesco United; Al Hilal 3-1 Al Merrikh
Group B
Heartland FC 2-0 TP Mazembe; Etoile du Sahel 2-0 Monomotapa
(Winner Group A plays runner-up Group B and winner Group B plays runner-up Group A in the semi-finals)
Group B Results To Date
Heartland FC 2-0 TP Mazembe
Monomotapa 0-2 TP Mazembe
ES Sahel 0-0 Heartland FC
TP Mazembe 5-0 Monomotapa
Heartland FC 3-0 ES Sahel
ES Sahel 2-1 TP Mazembe
Heartland 3-1 Monomotapa
Monomotapa 2-1 Etoile du Sahel
Heartland 0–2 TP Mazembe
MTN African Champions League Group B Table
| |
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
PTS
|
| Heartland |
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
3
|
10
|
| TP Mazembe |
5
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
10
|
4
|
9
|
| Etoile du Sahel |
5
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
| Monomotapa |
5
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
3
|
13
|
3
|
MTN African Champions League Group A Table
| |
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
PTS
|
| Al Hilal |
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
7
|
3
|
10
|
| Kano Pillars |
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
7
|
10
|
| Zesco United |
5
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
6
|
7
|
5
|
| Al Merreikh |
5
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
9
|
2
|
BancABC Semi-Final
Dynamos 0-1 Shooting Stars
Premier Soccer League Results
Eagles 1-1 Underhill; Bantu Rovers 1-0 Lengthens, Highlanders 2-0 Highway
Premier Soccer League: Thursday, September 10, 2009
|
TEAM
|
Played
|
Won
|
Drew
|
Lost
|
G/F
|
G/A
|
Points
|
| 1 |
Dynamos |
21
|
13
|
4
|
4
|
32
|
10
|
43
|
| |
| 2 |
Gunners |
23
|
12
|
7
|
4
|
33
|
19
|
43
|
| 3 |
Lengthens |
22
|
10
|
6
|
6
|
22
|
16
|
36
|
| 4 |
Hwange |
23
|
9
|
7
|
7
|
28
|
23
|
34
|
| 5 |
CAPS United |
21
|
8
|
8
|
5
|
23
|
18
|
32
|
| 6 |
Highlanders |
22
|
8
|
8
|
6
|
20
|
17
|
32
|
| 7 |
Eagles |
24
|
6
|
13
|
5
|
18
|
22
|
31
|
| 8 |
Kiglon |
23
|
7
|
9
|
7
|
28
|
23
|
30
|
| 9 |
Shooting Stars |
22
|
7
|
9
|
6
|
22
|
21
|
|
| 10 |
Monomotapa |
21
|
7
|
8
|
6
|
27
|
23
|
29
|
| 11 |
Bantu Rovers |
23
|
7
|
8
|
8
|
22
|
22
|
29
|
| 12 |
Motor Action |
23
|
4
|
13
|
6
|
19
|
23
|
25
|
| 13 |
Njube Sundowns |
23
|
6
|
7
|
10
|
24
|
32
|
25
|
| |
| 14 |
Highway |
22
|
4
|
9
|
9
|
18
|
26
|
21
|
| 15 |
Underhill |
23
|
4
|
7
|
12
|
20
|
35
|
19
|
| 16 |
Black Rhinos |
23
|
4
|
5
|
14
|
15
|
38
|
17
|
Premier League Top Scorers
| |
TEAM
|
GOALS
|
| Norman Maroto |
Gunners
|
14
|
| Cuthberth Malajila |
Dynamos
|
12
|
| Nyasha Mushekwi |
CAPS United
|
11
|
| Tongai Mangwendere |
Hwange
|
9
|
| Ramson Zhuwawo |
Gunners
|
8
|
| Evans Chikwaikwai |
Njube Sundowns
|
7
|
| Tawanda Nyamandwe |
Monomotapa
|
7
|
| Charles Chiutsa |
Monomotapa
|
6
|
| Elliot Matsika |
Shooting Stars
|
6
|
| Tafadzwa Rusike |
CAPS United
|
5
|
| Nqobile Mpala |
Highlanders
|
5
|
| Protasho Kabwe |
Highlanders
|
5
|
| Daryl Nyandoro |
Monomotapa
|
5
|
| Bhekimpilo Ncube |
Motor Action
|
5
|
| Dylan Chivandire |
Njube Sundowns
|
5
|
| David Boriwondo |
Hwange
|
5
|