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Libyan side Al Nasr Benghazi have progressed to the quarter finals of the Total CAF Confederation Cup after stunning Malian outfit Djoliba by a solitary goal at the Stade 26 Mars in Bamako on Sunday.

Muetaz Husayn scored the decisive goal in the 67th minute of a tightly contested affair, handing Nasr their first victory away from home in the group stages and a ticket to the knockout phases of the competition, for the first time.

The victory took Al Nasr to eight points at second spot, three ahead of Djoliba. The Libyans now join Guinea’s Horoya in the last eight with the final round of matches yet to be played. The two sides face off in Cairo in the final game next weekend, with whoever wins finishing top of the group.

Djoliba will be travelling away to bottom side Bidvest Wits, but this will be a mere dead rubber clash.

Djoliba were sitting at second heading into this game and knew they had to avoid defeat to keep their hopes of a last eight berth alive. They were off the blocks fasters, creating chances to score but were unlucky not to have the ball in the net. Ousmane Coulibaly twice came close, but couldn’t break the deadlock.

His first attempt was with a long range shot which flew inches over the bar in the 10th minute while three minutes later, he followed that up with a good shot with a volley from the left that was parried away by the keeper.

They kept their pressure, but Nasr defended in numbers. Sambou Sissoko had a chance for the home side when he found some good shooting space inside the box, but his low effort was blocked by the defense with the keeper beaten.

Djoliba remained with the same momentum in the second half and had another chance on the hour mark when Coulibaly sent Cheick Niang through, but the substitute’s shot didn’t gather enough sting with the keeper making an easy save.

Off a counter attack, Nasr got the opener, a goal that would hand them a massive advantage. Skipper Khalid Almaryami broke away on the right before cutting back to the edge of the box, the ball landing on Husayn’s path, the latter slamming the ball into the bottom left corner.

Stunned, Djoliba took frantic efforts to try and get back into the game, but the Libyans defended with their hearts. At the stroke of 90 minutes, they were almost pegged back, but luckily, Aboubacar Traore’s shot from inside the area was deflected for a corner.

Source: cafonline

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