Ghana Premier League side Nsoatreman FC suffered a devastating 2-0 loss against Algerian side CS Constantine in the first leg of the 2024-25 CAF Confederations Cup second round encounter.
Zakaria Benchaa’s two first-half goals were enough for the Algerian team to earn a commanding lead over Nsoatreman FC heading into next week’s second leg.
It was a painful loss for Yaw Preko’s team, which had earlier defeated Chadian side Elect Sport in two legs to get to the second round.
In the opening minutes of the first half, Nsoatreman performed admirably well, holding the ball and keeping their opponents at bay.
However, Benchaa’s spectacular solo effort in the 11th minute took the Nsoatreman defence off guard as he hammered the ball past goalkeeper Daniel Afazwu.
The Nsoatre-based side were stunned by Benchaa’s opener and were once again caught off guard when the striker netted his second in the 27th minute.
It was disappointing for the debutante, who couldn’t hold their nerve as they fell behind by two goals at halftime.
However, Nsoatreman FC were the better side in the second half, creating numerous opportunities.
The first big chance fell for left back Isaaka Mohammed, who decided to pass from close range rather than shoot the ball into the net..
It was more shocking with 20 minutes left when Walid Fuseni couldn’t tap home from close range after some poor goalkeeping by the Costantine shot stopper.
Nsoatreman FC huffed and puffed in the final minutes of the game to get a consolation, but their efforts proved futile with CS Costantine holding onto their two-goal cushion.
The reigning MTN FA Champions would need a miracle in Algeria if they were to progress to the next round of the competition.
GNA