ES Setif 1 Al Merreikh 1: Sudanese deny title-holders at home

Reigning champions ES Setif’s stuttering start to their defence of the CAF Champions League continued on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home.

Solomon Jabason’s first-half header saw Sudan’s Al Merreikh peg Setif back in Algeria after Abdelmalek Ziaya had put the hosts in front.

The draw saw Al Merreikh (four points, +1 goal difference) hold onto second spot in Group B on goal difference, with Setif (four points, +0) in third.

USM Alger (9, +3) lead Group B, with MC El Eulma bottom of the standings without a point.

Ziaya struck in the 16th minute with a sharp finish from Fares Hachi’s centring pass but Merreikh were level just six minutes later, with Jabason picking out the top corner of the net when left unmarked from Francis Coffie’s dead-ball.