OMDURMAN —Title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt kicked off their CAF Champions League group phase campaign with a goalless draw away to Al-Hilal of Sudan in Omdurman’s Blue Jewel Stadium behind closed doors.
Ahly played their first match in the Champions League a week after all other sides as they were engaged in the FIFA Club World Cup. Away from home, Pitso Mosimane’s charges earned a point in hot Omdurman.
The Red Devils were drawn in Group A alongside Mamelodi Sundowns, Al-Merrikh and Al-Hilal.
The game did not witness many goal-scoring chances from both sides and the goalkeepers were not tested much during the 90 minutes.
It was a tightly contested fixture with few chances, all far in between. The home side had the first go at goal early on in the game when Salah Eldin Al Hassan picked out Eid Mugadam with a pass inside the box, but the latter’s shot sailed straight to the keeper’s arms.
On the other end, Ahly also had a chance this time right back Mohamed Hany picking up the ball inside the box off a corner, but his shot was easily gathered by the keeper.
Hany provided Ahly’s second chance 10 minutes to the break when he curled in a cross from the right, but Ahmed Mohamed’s header went over.
In the second half the tie was once again close. Seven minutes after the restart a long ball from deep in their half found the run of left back Aly Maaloul.
However, his low cross inside the box with Mohamed Sherif waiting to tap in was punched away by the keeper.
In the 64th minute, Sherif had a chance at goal when substitute Mohamed Magdy Afsha headed the ball to his path, but the striker’s effort on the volley went over.
Despite some late pressure, neither of the two sides could break the deadlock.
“It is a satisfying result for us. We came here to win and we had a chance to secure the three points with Afsha’s shot that hit the post,” Al-Ahly’s head coach Mosimane said after the match.
“Al-Hilal is a better side compared to last year. They have a strong squad and they are good in attack and defense.”
“It is a difficult group with four big teams and everyone has a chance to reach the next round,” Mosimane noted according to the club official website.
Al-Ahly’s next clash will be a tough one against Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo on March 26.
Raja beats Setif in Group B
Raja Club Athletic won 1-0 away to Algeria’s ES Setif to move top of the tournament’s Group B.
At the Stade 5 Juillet in Algiers, Mohamed Zrida scored in the 71st minute as visitors Raja picked up a consecutive 1-0 victory to move top of the group with six points.
In a tight match that didn’t have many of scoring opportunities, it was Raja who made the most of their best chance of the game to seal the win.
Setif had an early chance in the ninth minute of the game when Hocine Laribi slashed a cross from the right, but Abdelhak Debbari’s flick was just wide.
In the second half, it was Raja who saw most of the ball and in the 70th minute had a good chance to score when Kadima Kabangu raced to a lobbed ball behind the defense, but his effort to lift the ball over the advancing keeper went over.
However, a minute later, they scored in exact similar fashion, this time Zrida running on to a ball and perfectly placing it over the advancing keeper.
Setif almost grabbed a late equalizer when Abdelmoumen Djabou’s corner found fellow substitute Zoubir Motrani unmarked at the edge of the six yard box but his header came off the crossbar.
Elsewhere, South African debutants AmaZulu earned their maiden victory with a 1-0 result against Guinea’s Horoya.
For their first ever appearance in the competition, Amigo Memela’s beautiful 31st minute goal proved all the difference.
The visitors had been off to a better start and dominated the first quarter of an hour with Pape N’Diaye shooting wide in the fifth minute and Morlaye Sylla having a belter from range go straight to the keeper.
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