Ismael Kone scored twice in two minutes as Malians Stade Malien snatched a dramatic 2-2 draw with Congolese TP Mazembe this weekend in the CAF Champions League.

Four-time African champions Mazembe were in cruise mode at Stade Modibo Keita in Bamako as the last 16, first leg clash entered the closing stages.

A couple of their “foreign legionnaires” — Malian Cheibane Traore and Ghanaian Daniel Adjei — had given the club from mining city Lubumbashi a two-goal cushion.

But with Stade staring at defeat and virtually certain elimination from the elite CAF club competition, Kone came to the rescue.

His goals after 74 and 75 minutes set up a thrilling climax, and offered Malien a glimmer of hope ahead of the early May return match.

At stake is a place in the lucrative Champions League group stage while the losers drop to the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup.

A draw was s step in the right direction for the Malians after home and away losses to Mazembe in a Confederation Cup semi-final two seasons ago.

Mazembe, whose starting line-up often includes only three Congolese, are the third most successful Champions League club behind Egyptians Al Ahly (eight titles) and Zamalek (five).

Malien lifted the Confederation Cup six years ago, but have never qualified for the Champions League group stage.

While Mazembe remain favourites to eliminate Stade, the tie between Sudanese El Merrikh and Tunisians Esperance is delicately-balanced.

A mid-first half goal from the penalty spot by Alaeddine Youssef gave Merrikh a 1-0 home victory in Omdurman, a city on the west bank of the Nile river opposite the capital, Khartoum.

Two-time African champions Esperance were considered the likelier overall winners ahead of the first leg, and remain the more probable qualifiers for the eight-club mini-league phase.

But failure to score any away goals could return to haunt the Tunisian ‘Blood and Gold’ when they host the second leg in the Tunis suburb of Rades.

Another six first leg fixtures are scheduled for late Sunday, including defending champions Entente Setif of Algeria away to Moroccans Raja Casablanca.