CAIRO/ RADES – Record champions Al-Ahly of Egypt and 2016 winners Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa played to a 2-2 thriller in Cairo at the CAF Champions League.
The Red Devils are now third of Group B with a single point from two games behind leaders Sundowns, seven points, as Al-Hilal of Sudan, six points, but both have played one game more.
In Rades, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane scored a 92nd minute sucker punch to add on to Mohamed Ali Ben Hammouda’s first-half goal as Esperance of Tunisia made it three wins in three matches with a well worked victory over Egypt’s Zamalek.
Esperance is now leading Group B with a full mark of nine points, while Zamalek is in the tail of the group with only one point. Al-Merreikh of Sudan is in second place with four points as Algeria’s Belouizdad is third.
Al-Ahly, Sundowns draw
Al-Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns played to a 2-2 thriller in Cairo’s Al-Salam Stadium.
The Egyptian giants, who also lost a penalty, had come from a goal down to lead 2-1, but substitute Thapelo Morena thumped home with 10 minutes left as Sundowns maintained their unbeaten run.
Peter Shalulile gave Sundowns a 1-0 lead at the break, but goals from defender Mohamed Abdelomonem and winger Hussein el-Shahat in the second-half saw Ahly take the lead. But, the Red Devils could not guard a win at home as Sundowns fought for a single point on the road.
Shalulile broke the deadlock for Sundowns in the 34th minute when he stretched to tap home inside the box after a decent cross from the left by Cassius Mailula. Shalulile had a chance to make it 2-0 before the break but he couldn’t keep his head down from an Aubrey Modiba cross.
The Red Devils didn’t have many open chances, with Malian midfielder Aliou Dieng shooting over from close range, while playmaker Mohamed Magdy ‘Afsha’ also rocketed a half volley over the bar from a Percy tau knockdown.
They came off the breather a more determined lot and just four minutes after the restart they had a chance to score when Tau was fouled inside the box. However, Mohamed Hanny saw his penalty saved by Ronwen Williams.
But, they kept the push and were rewarded in the 59th minute when Abdelmonem finished off Ali Maaloul’s delivery.
They went into the lead in the 74th minute when El-Shahat scored a beauty of a goal, twisting and turning from his marker inside the box before slamming a shot past the keeper.
But, their hopes of victory were thwarted six minutes later when Morena scored from inside the box, reacting quickest after Mailula’s shot from the edge of the area came off the post.
With the result, Sundowns remain top of the group with seven points while Ahly picked their first point in two matches.
Esperance stuns Zamalek
In Rades, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane scored a 92nd minute sucker punch to add on to Mohammed Ali Ben Hammouda’s first half goal as Esperance made it three wins in three matches with a well worked victory over Egypt’s Zamalek.
Taraji sits top of Group D with a maximum nine points from three matches, with four goals scored and they are yet to concede a goal. Pressure is now on Zamalek who has lost two matches and have just one point from their draw against AL-Merreikh of Sudan.
Esperance dominated the match and rightly claimed victory in their home turf.
In the 14th minute, Ben Hammouda and Raed Bouchniba both had efforts blocked on the line after Zamalek struggled to clear a set piece. Hamdou Elhouni also had an effort hit the side netting with a shot from the right.
They finally broke the deadlock in the 35th minute, Hammouda volleying the ball home from close range after the Zamalek keeper had punched a cross right into his path.
Zamalek didn’t have much of a response and the closest they came from then on, was via an improvised volley from Shikabala which rolled straight into the keeper’s arms.
In the second-half, Zamalek stepped up as they bid to scratch the single goal trail.
But, in their push to get back into the game, they were caught on the counter, Elhouni rolling the ball to Ben Romdhane to slide home in the second minute of added time.
Raja beats Horoya
Elsewhere in Casablanca, Raja Club Athletic of Morocco maintained their 100 per cent record in the group phase with a well worked 2-0 win over Guinea’s Horoya, who suffered their third successive defeat.
Hamza Khabba’s third goal in as many matches and Naoufel Zerhouni’s beauty late in the second half saw Raja move to nine points with a well deserved victory.
Khjabba scored with three minutes left to the break when he volleyed home from inside the box after picking up a little clipped pass from Jamal Harkass.
Before that, they had some chances with Abdelilah Hafidi having the best, a shot from inside the box which flushed just wide.
Horoya’s clearest aim at goal in the opening 45 was via Alseny Soumah who fired a shot wide from the left after finding some shooting space.
In the second-half, Raja completely dominated and they buried the game deep into added time, Zerhouni breaking into the box after some little movement to shake off his marker and sending a thumping shot beyond the goalkeeper.
Simba defeats Vipers
In Kampala, Simba of Tanzania defeated Uganda’s Vipers 1-0 at the St. Mary’s Stadium in the outskirts of Kampala in the East African derby in Group C.
Brazilian coach Roberto Oliveira had a happy return to his former employers Vipers as he led the Tanzanian giants to victory in his first match since moving to Dar es Salaam in January.
Defender Hennock Inonga scored the winner for Simba in the first half, and you could tell just how much it meant to Simba and their coach, with the Brazilian joining the Congolese international in his celebratory dance.
He scored in the 20th minute, running on the blind side of a defender to boot the ball home at the back post after Moses Phiri had nodded a cross into his direction.
Zambian Phiri had been the most exciting player for Simba, and he had some chances before the goal. In the eighth minute, he had found space on the right but his shot came off the side netting.
In the 16th minute he played Dennis Kibu through, but the striker’s effort was well collected by the Vipers keeper.
The home side had chances, with Abdu Lumala striking inches wide after a good shot on the half turn. Skipper Milton Karisa forced a good save off Aishi Manula in the 35th minute when he drove a low shot in, but the custodian pushed it away.
The captain however had to be stretchered off injured at the stroke of halftime, and his place taken by Ibrahim Orit.
In the second half, Vipers pushed to try to get into the game, but they couldn’t get it right in the final third. At the stroke of full time, they were almost caught out on the counter, but Clatous Chama, under pressure from Livingstone Mulondo was wide.
With the victory, Simba climb to third in the table with three points while Vipers remain at the base, winless after three matches in their group stage debut.
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