SOUSSE, Tunisia (AFP) - Etoile Sahel of Tunisia equalled the best result in the African Champions League group phase this year by walloping Jeunesse Sportive Kabylie of Algeria 3-0 Saturday.

The scoreline matched that achieved by title holders Al-Ahly of Egypt 24 hours earlier against Esperance, the other Tunisian contenders for the one million dollar first prize.

Striker Amine Chermiti gave Etoile a 55-second lead at the Olympic Stadium in this Mediterranean resort and early second-half goals from midfielder Mejdi Ben Mohamed and Cape Verdian Gilson 'Ja' Silva sealed success.

Collecting maximum points lifted 2004 and 2005 African Champions League runners-up Etoile to seven, three more than second-placed Al-Ittihad of Libya in Group A with Kabylie a further point adrift.

Ittihad, who beat Kabylie at home before surprisingly holding Etoile goalless away two weeks ago, play at pointless former champions FAR Rabat of Morocco later Saturday.

Defeat brought new Kabylie coach Kamel Mouassa down to earth after his reign began this month with a comfortable home victory over FAR thanks to a couple of goals from star striker Oumar Dabo.

The Malian moved to France after that win and his absence was sorely felt with Kabylie seldom troubling goalkeeper Aymen Methlouthi apart from a Tayeb Berramia free kick that struck the crossbar in the first half.

Chermiti cut short his stay with the national under-23 team at the All-Africa Games in Algeria to help Etoile and scored by racing on to a long Khaled Melliti pass and steering the ball wide of goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi.

Mohamed delivered the second blow with a close-range shot after defensively suspect Kabylie failed to clear a free kick and 'Ja' set up his goal by outpacing Algerian captain Brahim Zafour inside the penalty area.