- Tau contributed to all four of Ahly’s goals with two goals and two assists
- Ahly are the defending champions
- Wydad Club Athletic beat Petro de Luanda 3-1 in the other semi
South African Percy Muzi tau was the star of the show, contributing al four goals as defending champions Al Ahly thrashed Algeria’s ES Setif 4-0 in Cairo on Saturday night in the first leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final.
Tau scored twice and assisted two more to hand AHly the massive win against Setif, who had to finish the match with 10 men after Amir Karoui was sent off in the 35th minute of the match.
Ahly were commanding of the race from the start and they were rewarded on the half-hour mark with the opening goal when tau brilliantly read Mohamed Taher’s cross before storming into the box and breaking the deadlock with a bouncing header.
The home side were handed a numerical advantage after 35 minutes when a VAR review upgraded Karoui’s yellow card from yellow to red after a dangerous tackle on Hussein EL Shahat.
Ahly had a chance to move 2-0 up just before the break when Taher picked out El Shahat with a good pass on the right, but the latter blasted his shot wide.
Al Ahly’s Mohamed Sherif celebrates
They came back off the break with a determined display to put the game beyond doubt and they doubled their tally in the 54th minute when Taher finally found his goal, smashing in a header from a deflected tau cross.
Tau came close to adding another goal in the 56th minute with a brilliant control off a ball lofted behind the defense, but his shot on the volley hit the outside of the bar.
Nonetheless, he created the third goal when he put Mohamed Sheriff through, the Egyptian number 10 chipping over a deft clip over the keeper, barely two minutes after coming on.
Ahly completed the job at the stroke of 90 minutes, Tau adding his second of the evening with a simple tap in from a yard out after Mohamed Hany’s cross from the right found the defense napping.
Al Ahly celebrate
Elsewhere, Wydad Club Athletic produced a sizzling performance in Angola, beating hosts Petro de Luanda 3-1 an earning themselves a massive advantage to qualify for the final.
An own goal from skipper Tiago Azulao, Yahya Jabrane’s thunderbolt, and Guy Mbenza’s late goal sealed the victory for the Moroccans who will now finish off the tie at the intimidating Mohamed V Complex in Casablanca next weekend.
Skipper Azulao who has been an offensive wolf for the Angolans in the Continental competition this season unfortunately turned the ball into his own net when he deflected Attyat Allah’s freekick into his own net.
They were in a commanding position and at the stroke of halftime, a brilliant belter from Jabrane doubled their tally for a perfect 2-0 lead at the break.
In the second half, Petro came back determined to draw level, but they were stunned when Mbenza scored the third goal in the 68th minute.
Ricardo Job reduced the deficit for Petro 10 minutes to time, but it was mere consolation as the Moroccans had long sealed the win.
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