LUSAKA, Zambia – Egyptian duo Pyramids and Al-Masry consolidated their hold on top of Group A and C in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage after picking a vital 2-0 victory to Zambia’s Zanaco and Congo’s TP Mazembe respectively.
Pyramids pick vital away win
Pyramids of Egypt claimed top of Group A in the CAF Confederation Cup after grabbing a 2-0 victory away to Zambia’s Zanaco at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
South African forward Fagrie Lakay scored a double to send Pyramids to six points with their second successive group phase victory.
They started their campaign last weekend with a 2-1 victory at home against Al-Ahly Tripoli of Libya.
Despite playing away from home, Pyramids didn’t play with the handbrakes on and tried to dominate their hosts from start.
They however had to wait till the first minute of added time to break the deadlock when Ramadhan Sobhi placed the ball on a silver platter for Lakay to finish.
After the break, Pyramids continued to dominate and Ali Gabr twice came very close to doubling the lead but was thwarted by the hawk-eyed Zanaco goalkeeper.
Pyramids had to once again wait till late to score a second this time Lakay finishing off a pass from Abdullah el-Said in the 83rd minute to all but seal the three points away from home.
Al-Masry beats TP Mazembe in Alexandria
Egypt’s Al-Masry of Port Said moved top of Group C with four points after beating Congolese giants TP Mazembe 2-0 in Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria, CAF’s official website reported.
After a goalless first half, Masry tightened their grip on attack in the second half and they broke the deadlock on the hour mark through Yasser Hamed.
Seven minutes later, they scored the second when Tunisian Elyes Jelassi finished off a pass from Mohamed Antar.
ASEC thrashes Berkane in Abidjan
RS Berkane, the 2019-20 CAF Confederation Cup champions suffered a 3-1 thrashing at the hands of Côte d’Ivoire side Asec Mimosas in Abidjan, in their second Group D match.
Charki El-Bahri scored a consolation with six minutes of regulation time left, but it was not enough to rally a comeback.
After a goalless first half, Asec blew to life in the second half with Stephane Aziz Ki breaking the deadlock with his second goal in as many matches after 58 minutes.
Seven minutes later, Asec were 2-0 up when Souleymane Coulibaly scored the second for the hosts.
They went 3-0 up in the 70th minute when Karim Konate rifled the ball home from inside the box to all but cement their hold on the game.
The victory at home saw ASEC move to second in the group.
JS Saoura picks slim victory in Algiers
At the 5 July Stadium in Algiers, a pair of penalties was enough to hand Saoura a 2-0 win over eSwatini’s Royal Leopards.
Belaid Hamidi scored the first penalty in the ninth minute. The home side was awarded a spotkick after keeper Phephisani Misibi hacked down Abdeljalil Saad inside the area. Hamidi stepped up and made no mistake.
Leopards that were playing with lots of courage came close to an equalizer in the 17th minute when Wandile Simelane took a rasping left footed shot from the edge of the area, but it was turned away for a corner by the keeper.
The home side went to the break a goal up and looked to settle the tie in the second half.
Despite forcing the visitors to play in their own half, they had to wait till the stroke of 90 minutes to score their second penalty of the match, this time substitute Mohamed Hammia stepping up to do the honors.
Ahli Tripoli victorious at home
Libya’s Al-Ahli Tripoli picked up win at home to record their maiden victory of the group phase in the 2021-22 season of the CAF Confederation Cup.
At the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi, home side Ahli picked a 2-1 win over Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien to move to second in Group A.
Aymen Harzi scored a late penalty for Sfaxien, but it couldn’t be enough to lead a turnaround with the home side having gone ahead through Chadi Hammami’s own goal and Saleh Al-Taher’s wonderful goal.
Hammami turned the ball into his own net in the sixth minute to give Ahly the lead, as he stretched his foot to try and cut out Mohamed El-Mounir’s cross from the left. It was a befitting goal for the home side which had been more adventurous upfront from the start.
Sfaxien had an opportunity to draw level on the half hour mark but Hussein Ali’s shot was saved by the keeper. On the other end the Sfax keeper was also made to work, this time punching away Mohamed El Fakih’s freekick after it took an awkward bounce infront of him.
In the second half, Ahli continued to press in attack and they had the second seven minutes after the restart through El Taher’s first time side footed shot off a Mohamed Al Tubal cutback from the left.
Sfaxien pushed to try and get back into the match and their only goal came in the 87th minute when Harzi scored from the spot after Mohamed Ben Ali was fouled inside the box.
El Fakih would have restored Ahli’s two goal advantage at the death, but his freekick from the edge of the box came off the woodwork.
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