Ali Zitouni's brace gave Esperance a perfect start in Group B

Tunisia's Esperance grabbed three vital away points when they beat SuperSport United 2-1 in Pretoria in the opening Champions League Group B game on Sunday.

The Tunisian champions used all the experience gained from many years of campaigning in African club competitions to great effect as they held off a late challenge from SuperSport.

Yet the home side were unlucky not to snatch a last-minute equaliser.

As the Pretoria altitude took its toll on the Tunisians, who tired visibly midway through the second half, Esperance used every trick in the book - from jersey-pulling to players writhing in mock agony - to slow the game down.

Ali Zitouni, who played as a lone striker, got both goals for Esperance from free-kicks taken by midfielder Skander Souayah.

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Both Zitouni's goals, scored in the 26th and 47th minutes, were well-taken headers yet the SuperSport defence left him unmarked on both occasions.

At a sparsely-populated Loftus Stadium in Pretoria, the home side rallied in the second half - with midfielder Richard Randjies leading the charge.

After seeing his lob go over the bar early in the second half, and then forcing Esperance's Ivorian goalkeeper Jean-Jacques Tizie to make a good point-blank moments later, the 20-year-old eventually got the goal he deserved.

On the hourmark, Randjies was on hand to slam home the rebound after Tizie did well to save a powerful shot from his compatriot Aubin Takutchie.

SuperSport thought they had grabbed a dramatic last-second equaliser when Siboniso Pa Gaxa blasted the ball into the roof of net from close range, but the referee mysteriously spotted an infringement.

In the other Group B game, Senegal's Jeanne d'Arc beat visiting Algerian outfit USM Alger 2-1 in Dakar.

Before a crowd of 20,000, Makhete Ndiaye opened the scoring after 30 minutes and the Senegalese were further boosted when USMA's Salim Arribi was sent off just seconds before the break.

Although the Algerians rallied hard to find a 73rd-minute equaliser through Mamadou Diallo, the home side took all three points as Lamine Diarra struck in the 80th minute.