Hodoud climb to top in African Confederation Cup

Harras al-Hodoud of Egypt replaced CS Sfaxien of Tunisia as African Confederation Cup Group A leaders after a 3-1 win in the top-of-the-table clash this weekend.

Unfashionable Harras have six points and Sfaxien four after three matches while Club Africain of Tunisia (one) host InterClube of Angola (three) in the other mini-league fixture on Sunday.

The pool winners qualify for the final in the African equivalent of the European UEFA Cup with Sfaxien attempting to become the first club to successfully defend the title.

Ahmed Eid gave African debutants Hodoud a 14th-minute lead which was quickly extended by Ahmed Abdulghani before Ivorian Blaise Kouassi pulled one goal back midway through the opening half.

Veteran Abdulhamid Bassiouni restored the two-goal advantage six minutes before half-time in the Mediterranean city and Harras survived a second half onslaught with goalkeeper William Mensah outstanding.

The other group comprises Al-Merreikh of Sudan, runners-up to Sfaxien last year, Asante Kotoko of Ghana, 2006 title holders Etoile Sahel of Tunisia and Jeunesse Sportive Kabylie of Algeria.