USM Alger battled to a 1-1 draw against CS Constantine in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final, overcoming a second-half red card to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
CS Constantine, playing at home, seized the initiative in the 29th minute when Mounder Temine broke the deadlock, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead at halftime.
The goal ignited celebrations among the home supporters, but their joy was short-lived.
After the interval, USM Alger increased their attacking intensity, pushing forward in search of an equalizer.
Their persistence paid off in the 73rd minute when Congolese defender Kévin Mondeko capitalized on a set-piece opportunity, heading home the leveller to make it 1-1.
However, just two minutes later, USM Alger suffered a setback when Salim Boukhenchouche was shown a red card, reducing them to ten men for the remainder of the match.
Despite this disadvantage, the defending Confederation Cup champions remained defensively resolute, frustrating CS Constantine and preventing them from exploiting the numerical superiority.
The result leaves the tie delicately poised ahead of the second leg, where USM Alger will have the advantage of playing on home soil.
CS Constantine, meanwhile, will need to produce a strong away performance if they are to advance to the semi-finals.
With both teams showing their resilience, the return fixture promises to be a fiercely contested battle for a place in the last four of Africa’s second-tier club competition.
