Abidjan giants ASEC Mimosas beat city rivals Africa Sports 2-1 in the Cote d’Ivoire League 1 at the Stadium of Peace in Bouake on Saturday.
Koanda Souleymane and Ouattara Issouf netted for the 24-time champions in the biggest club rivalry in the West African football powerhouse. Golly Aime scored the consolation for Africa Sports.
The Mimosas are now on 41 points with four rounds left to end of the 2016/17 season and are three points adrift of second placed Wac D’Adjame, who have kept the pressure in the title race.
Koanda opened the scoring for the coach Traore Siaka’s side eleven minutes into play – heading home from a superbly delivered free-kick from the right.
The visitors, nonetheless, steadied their ship and a minute to the half hour mark had a golden opportunity to level from spot, after Burkina Faso goalkeeper Herve Koffi brought down Moussa Dosso in box, but the French-bound shot stopper made amends – punching the penalty away for clearance to safety.
Ouattara, who was named man of the match, extended the Mimosas’ lead after the break – unleashing a thunderbolt past Africa Sports keeper Zadi Ble Hortalin in the 76th minute to make it 2-0.
Golly delivered a peach of a strike from almost zero angle on the right to reduce the deficit with eight minutes left on the clock.
However, despite a late surge, ASEC did exceptionally well to keep the lead and bag the bragging rights for the second time this season.
