The odds on an all-Tunisia African Confederation Cup final shortened Sunday after CS Sfaxien and Etoile Sahel achieved significant results. Title holders Sfaxien triumphed 3-2 over InterClube of Angola in Luanda and former winners Etoile came from behind twice to force a 2-2 draw against Asante Kotoko of Ghana in Kumasi.
Victory lifted Sfaxien from the Mediterranean town of Sfax to 10 points in Group A, three more than compatriots Club Africain with Harras al-Hodoud of Egypt a further point adrift and InterClube out of contention. Etoile, the only team to win every African Football Confederation club competition, lead Kotoko on goal difference in Group B with Al-Merreikh of Sudan and JS Kabylie of Algeria a point behind.
The last series of mini-league fixtures in the African equivalent of Europe's UEFA Cup is set for mid-October with group winners advancing to a two-leg final next month.
After home and away losses to Club Africain banished hopes of a first Angolan qualifier for the African Confederation Cup final, police outfit InterClube were soon on the back foot against Sfaxien.
Ivory Coast-born striker Blaise Kouassi gave the Tunisians a 13th-minute lead and after Abdel Traore levelled, diminutive midfielder Abdelkrim Nafti put the visitors ahead again before half-time.
Angolan 'Dedas' conceded an own goal 14 minutes from full-time to increase the woes of the home team before 'Mingo' secured a late consolation goal in the Atlantic city.
Sfaxien host Club Africain in the final round knowing maximum points will guarantee top spot and edge them closer to a record second successive title plus a 330,000-dollar first prize.
InterClube complete their six-match schedule against Hodoud in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria and only a win would give them a chance of avoiding bottom place.
Etoile ended a run of eight Group B home wins by refusing to give in against Kotoko despite finishing with 10 men after Guinean midfielder Mohamed Sacko was sent off near the end of a fiery encounter.
Asante brushed off the absence of suspended Jordan Opoku and Kwadwo Poku to take a fourth-minute lead when Kwabena Yaro deflected a free kick from leading African Confederation Cup scorer Eric Bekoe past Aymen Methlouthi.
Slim Jedaied levelled on the hour mark only for Bekoe to claim his 10th goal of the competition with 12 minutes left, calmly slotting a hotly disputed penalty into the net. But hopes of three badly needed points for the 'Porcupine Warriors' were dashed seven minutes from full-time when Mohamed Ali Nafkha recovered from a foul by Michael Appiah to convert the spot kick.