Etoile Sahel of Tunisia defeated Mali's Stade Malien 1-0 in the CAF Confederation Cup this weekend at a stadium near the beach where 38 tourists were gunned down.

The seaside massacre by an Islamist gunman on Friday occurred 15 kilometres north of Stade Olympique in the Mediterranean resort Sousse.

A few hours after the attack, Baghdad Bounedjah bade farewell to Etoile ahead of his move to a Qatari club by scoring the winner midway through the second half.

He will be sorely missed, having contributed four of the eight goals scored by 2006 Confederation Cup winners Etoile in the second-tier competition this season.

The lone goal of the matchday 1 group clash was a 'foreign' affair with Guinean Alkhaly Bangoura delivering the cross that Algerian Bounedjah nodded past Djigui Diarra.

A string of saves by Diarra prevented a heavier defeat for Stade, who lifted the Confederation Cup against the odds six years ago.

Diarra had rushed to Tunisia from New Zealand, where he helped Mali finish third in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

Malien were dealt a blow 10 minutes from time when Idrissa Traore was sent off.

It was a predictable outcome as Etoile, the only club to win all five CAF competitions, were favoured despite a home loss to Stade at the same stage two seasons ago.

Title-holders Al-Ahly host Tunisians Esperance in Egypt late Sunday in the other Group A fixture.

South Africans Orlando Pirates and Egyptians Zamalek both made winning Group B debuts with single-goal victories.

Pirates triumphed 1-0 away to Congolese AC Leopards on a hard, bumpy Dolisie pitch, thanks to a second-half Happy Jele goal.

Returning to a stadium where they lost in the CAF Champions League two years ago, Pirates never attempted to play their traditional passing game.

In-depth defence and counter-attacking via long passes was the recipe ordered by South African coach Eric Tinkler and it paid off just before the hour.

Shock 2012 Confederation Cup winners Leopards fluffed the clearance of a loose ball and Jele beat Chancel Massa with a snap shot.

Brighton Mhlongo, who took over as goalkeeper when Pirates captain Senzo Meyiwa was murdered in Johannesburg last October, made several superb reflex saves.

Burkinabe Abdoulaye Cisse scored a minute from time to earn dominant Zamalek a deserved 1-0 victory over Tunisians CS Sfaxien in Cairo.

Record three-time Confederation Cup winners Sfaxien were outplayed and a dribble and back-flick by Ayman Hefny and an Omar Gaber cross set up Cisse to nod past Rami Jeridi.