CAFCL: Petro Atletico through to quarters; Ahly earn narrow win over Medeama
Angolan club Petro Atletico booked their place in the quarter-finals despite being held to a 0-0 draw away to Libyan side Al Hilal in their penultimate Group C clash.
The result in Benghazi means the Angolan champions progress to the last eight of the competition , having established an unassailable lead at the top of their group.
Petro went into the game knowing just a point would be enough to seal qualification, and they produced a disciplined defensive performance to earn the point they required.
Al Hilal enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and chances, but found Petro goalkeeper Hugo Marques in inspired form as he made several important saves to keep a clean sheet.
Petro offered intermittent threat on the counter-attack, with striker Tiago Azulao going close on a couple of occasions, but they were content to soak up the pressure from the hosts.
In the end, Petro held on relatively comfortably to extend their unbeaten record in the group to four matches.
The point lifts them onto nine points after five games, ensuring they will finish in the top two in Group C regardless of results in the final round of matches next weekend.
It marks a significant achievement for Petro, who are enjoying fine season in the Champions League campaign.
Al Hilal still have hopes of joining them in the last eight. They sit second on five points, level with Tunisian club Esperance.
The two sides meet next Friday in a straight shootout for the other qualifying spot behind Petro.
Meanwhile, Simba of Tanzania clinched a hard-fought goalless draw in their visit to ASEC Mimosa’s home turf in Abidjan.
Despite an intense battle, Simba managed to secure the draw against their Ivorian counterparts, keeping their dreams of progression alive in the competition.
This result sees them rise to 6 points on the standings, securing the second spot in the group.
Egyptian giants Al-Ahly made a giant step towards the quarter-finals for an eighth consecutive season after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ghanaian side Medeama in the fifth round of group stage.
A second-half goal from winger Hussein El-Shahat was enough to seal the three points for the Cairo club at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, moving them onto nine points at the top of Group A with one game remaining.
The match witnessed several standout moments, with Mostafa Shobeir showcasing his goalkeeping prowess early on, denying Medeama’s attempts to find the back of the net.
However, it was El-Shahat who stole the spotlight in the 48th minute, calmly slotting home a well-executed finish to secure victory for Al-Ahly.
With this crucial victory, the Cairo giants stay at the top of group and keep them on the verge of securing their passage to the next round with a comfortable four-point lead over Belouizdad and Young Africans, who are set to face off later this weekend.
On the other hand, Medeama languishes at the bottom of the table with four points.
Al-Ahly’s focus turns to their upcoming clash against Young Africans, where they aim to cement their position at the top of the group. A draw would suffice for the Egyptian side to ensure they clinch the top spot in the standings.
But it was far from plain sailing for the record eight-time African champions however, with the hosts proving stubborn opposition for much of the match played in the Ghanaian city of Kumasi.
Al-Ahly dominated the early exchanges and El-Shahat went close in the 13th minute, curling a shot narrowly over the crossbar.
Medeama then had their best chance of the half on 16 minutes, only for Mostafa Shobeir to produce a fine save to deny the Ghanaian striker Lomotey.
The game remained goalless at the break, but Al-Ahly’s pressure finally told three minutes after half-time when El-Shahat latched onto a through ball from Anthony Modeste before slotting calmly beyond Medeama keeper Frank Boateng.
That proved the only goal of a tight contest, as Al-Ahly’s defence stood firm in the face of late pressure from the hosts. Wissam Abu Ali nearly added a second late on but saw his shot well saved by Boateng.
The result means the Cairo side extend their remarkable unbeaten run in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League to 15 matches, a sequence stretching back to their 5-2 defeat at the hands of Sundowns.
Medeama’s defeat means they will struggle to reach the knock-stage of the competition.
El-Shahat’s goal not only propelled Al-Ahly to victory but also marked a personal milestone for the winger, tallying his 16th goal for the club in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
With his stellar performance with four goals in the competition this season, El-Shahat solidified his status as a key figure in Al-Ahly’s quest for continental glory.
