Asec snatch dramatic draw

Asec won the Champions League in 1998

Asec Abidjan of the Ivory Coast drew 1-1 with Orlando Pirates in a delayed Champions League Group B match in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

A stoppage-time goal from substitute Emmanuel Umoh sealed a point for Asec.

Introduced late in the second half, the powerful Nigerian slammed home a cross that left the Pirates defence exposed.

Pirates had taken the lead when DR Congo striker Lelo Mbele headed home 43 minutes into a re-match of the 1995 final won by the South Africans.

A partial floodlight failure at one of 10 venues earmarked for the 2010 World Cup halted play for 22 minutes midway through the first half on a crisp winter evening.

The fixture was delayed 72 hours to accommodate the pre-season visit of English Premiership side Manchester United.

Pirates goalkeeper Francis Chansa had to clear smartly under pressure, an Mbele drive was not far off target, and Chansa spectacularly parried an Emmanuel Kone free-kick to safety in the early stages.

Asec goalkeeper Souleymane Kante fumbled a Lucky Lekgwathi free-kick at the other end, but recovered quickly to grasp the ball as the Buccaneers slowly gained control.

Gift Leremi of Pirates drove wide and Asec, after a rare excursion into the South African half, forced a corner from which a flashing header went narrowly wide.

The deadlock was broken as Leremi swung a conrer into the heart of the Asec penalty area and Mbele rose unopposed to steer a header past Kante.

Tyren Arendse had several chances to put the match beyond the reach of the Ivorians in the second half with one shot acrobatically turned away by Kante and another just off target.

Asec, the 1998 champions, piled on the pressure in the closing stages and hit the post before Umoh converted a low cross to secure a valuable away point for the Abidjan-based side.

Enyimba of Nigeria lead Group B with three points after winning 2-0 in Ghana at the weekend against Hearts of Oak.