Ismailia in Confed Cup triumph

The Confederation Cup is African football’s second-tier competition

Ismailia of Egypt snatched a couple of early goals to defeat Sofapaka of Kenya 2-0 Friday in an African Confederation Cup second round qualifier.

Striker Mohamed Abougreisha broke the deadlock on 10 minutes and midfielder Hosny Abd Rabou added a second five minutes later and left the visitors fearing a first-leg drubbing.

But 1969 African Champions Cup winners Ismailia could not build on their scintillating start and the result offers the Kenyans some hope ahead of the return game in Nairobi early next month.

Ismailia are a bogey team for Sokapaka, having defeated them 2-0 in Egypt last year in the first round of the African Champions League after forcing a goalless draw in East Africa.

It was a satisfactory result for a home team lacking injured defenders Shady Mohamed and Ibrahim Yehia given a 50-day lay-off from competitive football as football was cancelled because of the popular uprising against Hosni Mubarak.

Olympique Beja of Tunisia left it late against Moroccan visitors Difaa al-Jadida, scoring twice in stoppage time to secure a 2-0 advantage in the North African showdown.

Bassam Manaei ended the stalemate in northern Tunisian hillside town Beja on 92 minutes and Ibrahima Camara converted a penalty two minutes later to stun the Moroccans.

Both sides finished with 10 men after their captains were sent off and Olympique suffered from the absence of midfielder Sabeur Mhamdi and striker Nabil Missaoui.

Gabonese club Missile FC will fancy their chances of reaching the last-16 phase of the second-tier competition after forcing a 1-1 draw against Al-Nil in Sudan.

Only 60 seconds separated the goals with Osama al-Taaysha putting Nil ahead on 55 minutes in Wad Medani 200 kilometres south of capital Khartoum and Herve Osono levelling.

Zimbabwean Carrington Ngomba scored midway through the first half to earn St Eloi Lupopo of the DR Congo a 1-0 home victory over Nchanga Rangers of Zambia in southern mining city Lubumbashi.