USMA's win rejuvenates their Champions League hopes

The win in Algiers also ended the Tunisian side's unbeaten record in the group stages.

USMA took the lead in the 17th minute when Issad Bourahli was on hand to pounce on a rebound after Esperance goalkeeper Jean Jacques Tizie failed to hold onto a close range shot from Mamadou Diallo.

Although USMA's goal spurred the Tunisians into action, they were unable to fight their way back into the game.

Disaster struck for Esperance when captain Khaled Badra was sent off by the Nigerian referee on the stroke of half time, for impeding a goal-bound run by Bourahli.

Mamadou Diallo got the second goal in the 49th minute, when he sidefooted the ball into the net after some superb interplay between Houcine Achiou, Amar Amour and Bourahli, who delivered the killer pass to Diallo.

But Bourahli got his brace in the 53rd minute with a cheeky backheel from close range, after Diallo's powerful header from Achiou's cross rebounded off the bar.

He came close to getting a hat trick in the 59th minute but his chip from the left hand side of the box, which had clearly beaten Tizie, was ruled offiside.

The Algerians relaxed after the third goal, as Esperance seized the attacking initiative in the last quarter of the game.