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| Hearts Out Without Scoring A Single Goal |
| Date: 2006-09-18 |
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vory Coast champions ASEC Abidjan drew 0-0 with Ghana's Hearts of Oak in Obuasi on Saturday to move into the semi-finals of the African Champions League.
Their goalless draw in Obuasi on Saturday meant that Hearts of Oak finished bottom of the standings without scoring a single goal
In the other group B game, Nigerian import Onyekachi Okonkwo steered his South African club Orlando Pirates into the semi-finals at the expense of his former team on Saturday.
Enyimba arrived in South Africa less than 24 hours before the kick-off and played as though they were in need of a good night's sleep.
A curling shot from the midfielder in the 30th minute gave Pirates a 1-0 win over Enyimba of Nigeria in the last of the Group B matches.
Pirates finished second in the group behind ASEC. Enyimba had just needed a draw in the match in Johannesburg to progress to the semi-finals and had several chances in the game to score but were let down by poor finishing.
Apart from Okonkwo's pin-point shot, Pirates were also poor in front of goal. Congolese international Blaise Mbele missed a chance to extend the lead at the end of the game when he was one-on-one with the goalkeeper but he hit his effort wide.
Pirates now host the winners of Group A in the first leg of the semi-finals at the end of the month.
Group A will be decided on Sunday when the final two matches are played in Algeria and Tunisia. CS Sfaxien can still finish top but must beat Asante Kotoko of Ghana at home on Sunday and hope that defending champions Ahly of Egypt are beaten in their final match.
Ahly have already qualified, but are expected to resist the temptation of playing a second-string side against Algeria's JS Kabylie on Sunday because of the risk of a second-place finish.
Asante Kotoko must win to advance ahead of their Tunisian opponents
ASEC Abidjan are up against the runners-up in Group A. ASEC will play at home in the second leg of the semi-final next month. |
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