Nine-man Masry stun Berkane as TP Mazembe hold Pyramids

• Al Masry had to finish the match with nine men after two red cards
• Berkane failed to take advantage
• TP Mazembe picked up a crucial result away from home

Haythem Ayouni’s freekick late in the game proved to be the masterstroke nine-man Al Masry defied the odds to stun RS Berkane 2-1 in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup quarter final tie at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria.

Masry had two players sent off in the second half, first Amr Moussa being red carded for a studs up challenge four minutes after the restart while Elyes Jelassi was handed his matching orders for stamping in the 69^th minute.

Both times they had men sent off, Masry didn’t look fazed and still attacked, while Berkane failed to maximize on the situation.

They were stunned with eight minutes left and are now left with a huge task in the return tie in Morocco next weekend. The single away goal scored will be a source of hope, but Berkane will be regretting their failure to take advantage of their numerical edge.

The home side had broken the deadlock in the 10^th minute when Amr Marei slid in to beat the Berkane keeper with a low shot after outmuscling his markers to run on to a Jelassi pass from midfield.

Al Masry celebrate their win

Berkane however drew level seven minutes later through Hamza Regragui who simply tapped in after Chadrack Lukombe’s cross from the right found him unmarked inside the box.

The second half was hotly contested, two of Masry’s players being sent off.

But the home side kept fighting and they were rewarded late on when Ayouni scored a sensational freekick from almost 35 yards out to assure victory for Masry.

Action between TP Mazembe and Pyramids SC

Elsewhere, 2019-20 season losing finalists Pyramids were held to a barren draw by TP Mazembe, in a game they dominated and had chances to score.

Ali Gabr had a header from an Abdallah Said freekick fly straight to the keeper while Omar Gaber had the best chance of the game in the 19^th minute.

The right back went on a menacing run on the wing, Fagrie Lakay putting him through on goal with a backheel. However, his shot one on one with the keeper was saved.

Five minutes to the break, they came close again but were denied by the upright when Ibrahim Adel saw his low effort from a tight angle beat the keeper, but come off the basement of the post.

In the second half, the home side pushed Mazembe, but the Congolese giants defended resolutely. Seven minutes to time, Pyramid’s Ahmed Samy came close, but his shot from distance was deflected against the crossbar.

In the first minute of added time, Mazembe almost snatched the win at the death, but John Bakata had a shot from inside the box beautifully saved by the keeper.

Meanwhile at the June 11 Stadium in Tripoli, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli Tripoli played to a barren draw in a Libyan derby.