USM Alger of Algeria had hopes of creating a CAF Champions League group points record dashed this weekend when losing 1-0 at Al-Merrikh of Sudan.

The Group B winners entered the final-round game in Omdurman needing one point to overtake the 15-point record created and matched by Esperance of Tunisia.

But after five consecutive mini-league victories, USM fell to a goal on 14 minutes from Ivorian Didier Libre.

Merrikh star Bakry 'Al Madina' Babiker played a sublime pass to Libre, who fired past goalkeeper Ismail Mansouri.

The match had a competitive edge even though USM had already clinched first place and Merrikh second to secure semi-finals places.

USM will be away to the Group A runners-up and Merrikh at home to the Group A winners in the first legs later this month.

Moghreb Tetouan of Morocco, Al-Hilal of Sudan and four-time champions TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo are the Group A contenders for last-four spots.

Only Mazembe among the five title contenders have won the premier African Football Confederation (CAF) club competition.

Defending champions Entente Setif ended a disappointing campaign by drawing 2-2 at home against another Algerian club, Mouloudia El-Eulma.

Setif managed just one victory in six matches to finish with five points -- 10 less than USM and eight fewer than Merrikh.

Snatching a late draw earned Eulma their first point after five consecutive defeats, and left Costa do Sol of Mozambique with the unwanted record of being the only club to lose all six group games.

Nadir Korichi gave Eulma an early lead in Setif that was cancelled by El-Hedi Belameiri with a deflected shot just past the hour.

A bullet-like strike from substitute Eudes Dagoulou nudged two-time champions Entente ahead 12 minutes from time only for Abdelmalek Abbes to equalise via a curling shot.