CAF Champions League: Holders Ahly thump St George as Jwaneng Galaxy edge Orlando Pirates on penalties to reach group stage
Reigning CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly showed their title credentials once again as they thrashed Ethiopian club Saint George 4-0 on Friday night as Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy edged Pirates on penalties to to seal their places in the group stage of this year’s competition
Playing at Cairo International Stadium on Friday night, the Egyptian giants put on a dominant display to secure a commanding 7-0 aggregate victory over the two-legged playoff round.
Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdi lit the fuse with a stunning 10th-minute free-kick before adding a second just before half-time after being teed up by Karim El Debes.
Mahmoud ‘Kahraba’ Abdel-Moneim then converted a 34th-minute penalty to make it 3-0 on the night. He grabbed his second in the 63rd minute courtesy of a fine assist from new signing Emam Ashour.
Despite being without injured key men Anthony Modeste, Amr El-Sulaya and Mahmoud Metwally, Al Ahly illustrated their remarkable strength in depth.
Coach Marcel Koller was able to make a raft of second-half changes to rest players, bringing on the likes of Karim Fouad, Yasser Ibrahim, Taher Mohamed Taher and South African star Percy Tau.
Saint George had requested the second leg also be played in Cairo, but the Red Devils showed no mercy in front of their adoring home fans.
Al Ahly laid down a marker with their ruthless disposal of Saint George and the defending champions appear primed for another memorable Champions League campaign.
The emphatic result means Al Ahly join Egyptian rivals Pyramids FC in the lucrative Champions League group stage as they target a record-extending 11th African crown.
A ruthless attacking performance led by a Mostafa Fathi hat-trick propelled Egyptian side Pyramids FC to a commanding 6-1 victory over Rwandan club APR FC on Friday night.
Playing at the Air Defence Stadium in Cairo, Pyramids FC put on an utterly dominant display to overturn a goalless first leg draw and comprehensively dispatch their opponents in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League round of 32.
Competing in Africa’s top club competition for the first time, Pyramids FC have underlined their ambitions by advancing to the group stage.
The tone was set after just 18 minutes when Fathi rifled a powerful long-range effort past the APR defence to open the scoring. Moroccan midfielder Walid El Karti doubled the lead four minutes later with an impressive strike from outside the area.
Pyramids FC’s intensity barely dropped in the second half as Fathi grabbed his second on 50 minutes. The 29-year-old winger completed a remarkable hat-trick on 61 minutes to put the result beyond doubt.
Fathi capped a man of the match performance by bagging his fourth and Pyramids’ fifth just nine minutes from time. Moroccan full-back Mohamed Chibi had added a fourth in the 69th minute.
APR pulled a late consolation goal back through substitute Victor Mbaoma but it scarcely mattered as Pyramids FC cruised to a 6-1 aggregate victory.
The hosts started brightly, carving out two good chances in the opening ten minutes only to be denied by stoic APR defending.
The return from injury of playmaker Abdallah El-Said and winger Ramadan Sobhi added further attacking threat to an already potent Pyramids line-up.
Botswana club Jwaneng Galaxy defeated South African outfit and former African champions Orlando Pirates 5-4 on penalties after losing the second leg of a last-32 tie 1-0 in Soweto.
Defender Benson Mangolo was the match-winner for Galaxy, converting the fifth penalty for the visitors after teammate Goitseone Phoko had earlier saved from 18-year-old Relebohile Mofokeng.
Pirates gambled by bringing on Ghana goalkeeper Richard Ofori for Sipho Chaine in added time, believing he could swing the penalty shootout in their favour after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
But the move did not work as Galaxy converted all five kicks to clinch a place in the group phase from November 24 and pocket at least $700 000 (€660 000) in prize money.
After losing 1-0 in Botswana two weeks ago, Pirates dominated the return match with Galaxy defending in depth.
The Buccaneers recalled veteran forward Kermit Erasmus, but he made little impact against the red-shirted Galaxy defensive wall.
Pirates’ pressure finally told on 66 minutes when substitute Evidence Makgopa poked the ball into the net after a goalmouth scramble.
The home team almost snatched a second goal and overall victory in added time, but as Patrick Maswanganyi prepared to shoot from close range he was dispossessed by a superb sliding tackle.
