Al Ahly beat 10-man Kaizer Chiefs 3-0 in Morocco on Saturday to successfully defend their CAF Champions League crown and claim their 10th continental title. This is also the third time that the Red Devils have won the African title twice consecutively.
Mohamed Sherif, Mohamed ‘Magdy’ Afsha and Mohamed Elsoulia scored the goals for Ahly in the second half, making the most of Chiefs’ numerical disadvantage after the South African giants, who were playing in their first ever Champions League final played the entire second period a man down.
Happy Mashiane was sent off right at the break after a horrible challenge on Ahly right back Tawfil Akram. He had initially been shown yellow but upon advice from the VAR, Burundian referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana went to the monitors and changed his yellow to red.
Not many chances were created at goal in the opening half with both teams sizing each other up and much of the battle reduced to the middle of the pack.
Husein Elshahat had a shot when a corner was played to the edge of the 18-yard box in the 20th minute but it went over while Elsoulia also had a shot from distance which equally flew over. Chiefs had a chance when Samir Nurkovic had space after turning on the left, but his curling shot flew straight to keeper Mohamed Elshenawy’s waiting arms.
Chiefs’ game plan was to change for the worse at the stroke of halftime when Mashiane was sent off.
In the second period, Ahly went for the kill. Just eight minutes after the restart, they were 1-0 up. Akram sent Sherif through with a peach of a pass and the forward dinked the ball over an onrushing Daniel Akpeyi.
Al Ahly players celebrate one of their goals against Kaizer Chiefs
The Red Devils made it 2-0 in the 64th minute off a quick counter attack when the ball was launched behind the defense.
Keeper Akpeyi and defender Eric Mathoho did not decide who was to go for the ball and Mohamed Taher picked up on the left before spraying to Afsha who played a one two with Sherif before slamming the ball into the far left.
Ten minutes later, it was game over for Chiefs as Ahly got their third off another quickly executed play. Sheriff picked the ball at the edge of the box before setting up Elsoulia with a beautiful backheel roll.
Elsoulia picked his spot and curled in a beauty past the keeper to all but seal the title into Ahly’s name. Chiefs made attempts to try and cut out the deficit, but the Egyptians were more settled and dealt with the danger with calmness.
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