CAF Champions League: USM Alger Crush ES Sétif to Seal Semi-Final Spot
By BBC Sport – African Football
USM Alger delivered a commanding performance on Friday evening, defeating reigning champions ES Sétif 3-0 in the fifth round of the CAF Champions League group stage, sealing their place in the semi-finals with a perfect record.
The Red and Black of Algiers maintained their remarkable run, making it five wins from five matches, and they now stand just one victory away from surpassing Espérance de Tunis’s 2013 group stage tally of 15 points.
In contrast, the result spelled disaster for ES Sétif. Already under pressure before kick-off, the Black Eagles were outclassed from the start. Quick-fire goals from Youcef Belaïli (33rd minute) and Kadour Beldjilali (36th) stunned Sétif, before Mohamed Aoudia completed the rout in the 74th minute.
The defeat officially eliminates ES Sétif from the competition, a bitter blow for the defending champions. Their only slim hope now lies in a highly improbable scenario: hoping that Sudanese side El Merreikh lose to already-eliminated MC El Eulma on Saturday. Even then, Sétif would need a major swing in goal difference on the final matchday.
USM Alger, meanwhile, continues to assert its dominance on the continental stage. Already through to the last four, they will now look to cap off a flawless group campaign and potentially etch their name in the record books by exceeding the 15-point milestone achieved by Espérance.
With their sights set on continental glory, the Algiers-based club appears poised and ready for the challenges ahead.
