CAF Champions League: Al Ahly book semi-final clash with Sundowns; Pyramids makes debut semifinal appearance
Al Ahly secured their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League after completing a double over Al Hilal with a 1-0 second-leg win at the Sheikh Bedia Stadium in Mauritania on Tuesday evening.
Having already won the first leg by the same scoreline in Cairo, the defending champions delivered another disciplined performance away from home to seal a 2-0 aggregate victory.
Midfielder Imam Ashour was once again the difference-maker, netting the decisive goal in the 80th minute.
The match opened with both sides cautious yet committed, contesting for dominance in the midfield. Al Ahly, led by Swiss coach Marcel Koller, looked the more assertive in the early stages.
Slovenian forward Nijk Gradishar came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 9th minute, latching onto a misplaced pass and unleashing a fierce shot that forced a strong save from Ivorian goalkeeper Issa Fofana.
Imam Ashour, who had been instrumental in the first leg, briefly sparked concern after taking a knock in an aerial challenge. The 30-year-old recovered quickly and remained influential throughout the match.
Al Ahly carved out a golden chance in the 34th minute when a low cross evaded both Gradishar and Wissam Abu Ali at close range.
Ashour then tested Fofana with a thunderous strike from distance minutes later, while Al Hilal threatened just before half-time when a low cross into the box caused panic but was eventually cleared.
After the interval, Al Hilal pushed forward with more urgency. Their best opportunity came in the 64th minute when winger Ahmed Salem broke through one-on-one with Mohamed El Shenawy, only to be denied by the in-form Egyptian international.
Al Ahly weathered the storm and struck the killer blow ten minutes from time. Substitute Taher Mohamed Taher floated in a perfectly weighted ball into the box, and Ashour made no mistake, slotting home with clinical precision.
Despite Al Hilal’s late flurry and eight minutes of stoppage time, Al Ahly held firm. Ahmed Reda came close to doubling the lead in injury time, but Fofana’s quick reflexes kept the scoreline respectable.
Mamelodi Sundowns will meet defending champions, Al Ahly SC in the semi-finals after holding Espérance Sportive de Tunis to a goalless draw in Rades on Tuesday evening to advance 1-0 on aggregate.
Peter Shalulile’s solitary strike in Tshwane last week proved to be the decider in the two-legged quarter-final encounter, as the 2016 champions march on in search of what has been an elusive second TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title.
As expected, the hosts came out strong in search of the early goal to unsettle the South African visitors. It took just two minutes for Africa’s reigning Goalkeeper of the Year, Ronwen Williams to come to the rescue after Algerian danger-man, Youcef Belaili’s close range effort was denied by the keeper.
The visitors, despite being under pressure maintained their possession play to deprive last season’s runner’s up time on the ball.
Sundowns almost extended the lead just before the break with two efforts that had the keeper, Bechir Ben Said beaten.
Brazilian star, Lucas Ribeiro almost caught the keeper off guard after doing well to cut in from the right to unleash a curling striker that went inches off the target in the 41st minute.
With momentum on their side, Sundowns came close once again with Marcello Allende unleashing a powerful strike from a distance which agonisingly came off the woodwork.
Coming back from the break, the Achref Jabri was unlucky to have his goal ruled to be offside by the Video Assistant Referee in a goal that could have change the entire complexion of the game.
Pyramids made history on after qualifying for their first-ever semi-final, edging out Morocco’s FAR Rabat despite a 2-0 defeat in the second leg at the Stade d’Honneur in Meknes.
The Egyptian side progressed 4-3 on aggregate after their emphatic 4-1 win in Cairo last week gave them a crucial cushion heading into the away leg.
That first-leg advantage proved decisive, as Royal Army fell just one goal short of completing an incredible comeback in front of their home fans.
Backed by a lively crowd in Meknes, the Moroccan outfit came out firing. Youssef El-Fahli opened the scoring in just the seventh minute, raising hopes of an early resurgence.
The early strike injected belief into Royal Army’s play as they surged forward in waves, determined to erase the deficit.
Pyramids, however, responded swiftly. Defender Mohamed Hamdy nearly silenced the crowd with a powerful header in the 12th minute, only to be denied by goalkeeper Hamza Hayani, who tipped it wide.
Despite the mounting pressure, Pyramids remained composed at the back, with veteran goalkeeper Ahmed El-Shenawy delivering a composed performance to keep his side’s aggregate lead intact through the first half.
The restart saw FAR Rabat maintain their momentum. El-Fahli had a golden opportunity to grab a second just minutes in, but El-Shenawy was equal to the challenge once again, making two vital saves in quick succession.
The breakthrough finally came in the 82nd minute when substitute Joel Villa struck the second goal, setting up a nervy finish.
The Moroccans continued to push, and in the 93rd minute, they were inches away from a third when Zahzouh’s free-kick narrowly missed the target.
Pyramids held on through five minutes of added time, showing grit and resilience to protect their narrow aggregate lead and book a place in the last four of the continent’s premier club competition.
The Egyptian club will now await the winner of the other quarter-final between Orlando Pirates and MC Alger. Pirates hold a slender 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg on Wednesday.
For Pyramids FC, this is a landmark achievement in their short but ambitious history. Having risen rapidly through Egyptian football in recent years, the club now finds itself among the continent’s elite with a shot at continental glory.
