28 Nov 2024

Orapa United endured a disastrous start to their CAF Confederation Cup group stage campaign with a humiliating 6-0 defeat against Union Sportive de la Mèdina d'Algier (USMA) in Algeria last night.

The Ostriches were completely outclassed as the 2022/23 champions ran riot at the Stade du 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers.

USMA poured forward from the onset and broke the deadlock in the fourth minute through Ismail Belkacemi, who headed home a corner kick unchallenged.

The visitors were 2-0 down before they could even settle into the match, with a close range powerful shot from Belkacemi giving goalkeeper Lesenya Malapela no chance in the 15th minute.

The Ostriches were rattled and their lack of experience at this level showed as they lost the ball easily and struggled to make inroads into the hosts defensive zone.

Saadi Raouani  extended the USMA lead with an easy tap in after Malapela spilled a square ball in the 34th minute and his defence failed to clear the resultant loose ball.

The Orapa defence tried to play from the back, but committed a mistake when Koketso Majafi's pass was intercepted, resulting with Wale Alli scoring the fourth goal on the stroke of halftime to give the hosts a commanding 4-0 lead.

The onslaught continued in the second half with Nabil Lamara scoring the fifth with an acrobatic volley three minutes into the second half. Islam Mrili hammered the final nail in the 71st minute with a shot inside the box.

Meanwhile, in another Group C encounter ASEC Mimosas claimed a 2-0 victory over ASC Jaraaf at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan.

Razack Cissè and Kankonde Tshisungu scored for the Ivorian giants either side of the halftime break. Ends