Bahlabane Ba Ntwa undone by USM Alger in CAF Confederation Cup

Abderrahmane Meziane scored the opening goal of the game after 39 minutes as Zineddine Belaid wrapped up the tie with his 89th minute header.

The result saw th home team move top of Group A with seven points from three games, as Gallants sit second with six points.

Alger were quickest out of the blocks with Tumisang Orebonye trying his luck with a wayward shot from outside the box after picking up a good Brahim Benzaza pass.

Ranga Chivaviro then came close with a header at the other end from a Lesiba Nku cross that flew just past the left-hand upright, and soon after forced Alger goalkeeper Oussama Benbot into a fine save.

The action was swinging from end to end and while both Aimen Mahious and Zineddine Belaid were unlucky with their efforts, Letsie Koapeng came as close to anyone to scoring for Gallants.

But it was the Algerian side that got stronger and stronger the longer the half progressed, and they ultimately found their goal, with Meziane beating Washington Arubi with a clinical shot into the bottom right corner of the net just before the break.

Gallants though responded well after the interval, with Chivaviro their main point of attack, while Meziane remained a constant threat and was nearly in on goal again on 53 minutes, only to see his shot well saved.

Celimpilo Ngema and Katlego Otladisa both had half chance for Gallants, but large chunks of the second half was broken up by fouls and subsequent free-kicks as Alger looked to disrupt the flow of the match.

Tumisang Orebonye was denied by Arubi with 10 minutes of the match remaining, while Aimen Mahious floated his late chance off target.

But Belaid made no mistake with his header on 89 minutes, from a Saadi Redouani delivery, to hand his side a well deserved second goal and all three points.