Espérance edge Rahimo, Petro punish Stade d’Abidjan to seize first-leg control

Espérance Tunis and Petro de Luanda took firm control of their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League second-preliminary round firsleg ties with composed away wins in West Africa. 

The four-time African champions Espérance edged Rahimo 1–0 in Ouagadougou on Saturday, while Angola’s Petro struck late twice to beat Stade d’Abidjan 2–0 in Côte d’Ivoire. Both results hand the favourites a clear path to the group stage before next week’s return legs.

Espérance’s experience told in Burkina Faso. The Tunisian giants managed the tempo for long spells and were rewarded in first-half stoppage time when French forward Florian Danho rose to crash home a powerful header for the only goal of the game.

Rahimo pushed sporadically after the break but lacked the accuracy to trouble the visitors’ goalkeeper, with Espérance’s compact shape and game management snuffing out counters and set-piece moments.

The tie now shifts to Tunis on Friday, 24 October, where Espérance will look to finish the job and book their group-stage berth; Rahimo must produce a statement away performance to keep a historic qualification bid alive.

In Abidjan, Petro de Luanda showcased their pedigree with a late surge to defeat hosts Stade d’Abidjan.

After an even contest that tightened as legs tired, substitute Bernardo Dias broke the deadlock on 82 minutes, steering in a composed finish to tilt the evening Angola’s way. Petro then doubled the advantage in second-half added time through Vinielson, capping a clinical away display that puts them within touching distance of the next round.

The return leg is set for Saturday, 25 October, in Luanda, where Petro’s two-goal cushion and home support make them strong favourites to progress.

With narrow control in Ouagadougou and ruthless closing in Abidjan, Espérance and Petro underlined why they are perennial contenders in this competition—setting up decisive home fixtures that could seal early statements for the campaign ahead.