Ghana defender Harrison Afful inched closer to this year's Caf Champions League final his Esperance side defeated hosts Al Hilal 1-0 in Omdurman Sunday night in the first leg.
Afful played at right-back as "The Blood and Gold" just four minutes when Tunisia international midfielder Youssef Msakni slotted home after he was put through by a delightful ball.
Esperance, winners of the competition in 1994, were outclassed in last year’s final by TP Mazembe of DR Congo.
Leading scorer in the competition with seven goals Edward Sadomba was very lively in the attack of the Sudanese giants and it was an interesting duel between the 28-year-old Zimbabwean striker and his young marker and Cameroon U20 central defender Yaya Banana.
In the second half, the home team were more purposeful as they continued to press for an equaliser.
They enjoyed more of the possession and won several free kicks and corners around the goal area of the Tunisians, who were organised and solid in defence.
All the same, the visitors ought to have increased their lead in the 58th minute but big Cameroonian striker Yannik Ndjeunk was denied by the giant Sudanese goalkeeper.
And in the 77th minute Ndjeunk, who scored a hat-trick in the home game against MC Alger of Algeria in Tunis, had another chance to get a second goal for the Tunisian champions, but his final shot was weak and so failed to trouble Mahgoub.
The second leg of the semi-final will take place behind closed doors in a fortnight in Tunis.