Egyptian Goal Festival in the CAF Champions League Opener
Al-Ahly began their title defense with a 4-2 victory over Ivorian side Stade d’Abidjan, while Pyramids FC crushed Angolan visitors Sagrada Esperança 5-1 in an Egyptian goal-fest during the opening round of the CAF Champions League group stage on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, FAR Rabat secured a crucial victory in the “Moroccan Clasico,” defeating Raja Casablanca 1-0 in the round’s marquee match, while Sudan’s Al-Hilal earned an important away win by beating Tanzania’s Young Africans 2-0.
At Cairo International Stadium, in Group C, Egyptian giants Al-Ahly, aiming for their third consecutive and 13th overall CAF Champions League title, needed just 26 minutes to assert dominance in their opening match against Stade d’Abidjan, returning to the competition after more than half a century.
Al-Ahly struck quickly with a flurry of goals, starting with Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim “Kahraba,” who unleashed a powerful strike into the net following a cross from Mohamed Magdy “Afsha” in the 14th minute.
Five minutes later, Afsha doubled the lead for the home side with a precise finish after receiving a pass from Taher Mohamed Taher (21′), and Hussein El Shahat further extended the reigning champions’ advantage by scoring Kahraba’s pass in the 26th minute.
The Ivorian team, crowned champions in 1966, reduced the deficit through Kassoum Koné, who headed the ball beyond the reach of veteran goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy following a well-placed cross from Gilles Kouyaté in the 30th minute.
Just four minutes into the second half, Kahraba scored a spectacular goal, meeting Khaled Abdel Fattah’s cross with a stunning acrobatic bicycle kick to make it 4-1 in the 49th minute.
Stade d’Abidjan narrowed the gap again in the 55th minute when Roger Assalé skillfully backheeled the ball into El Shenawy’s net after a critical defensive blunder by Al-Ahly.
In their second appearance in the group stage, Egyptian side Pyramids achieved their biggest win in history by thrashing Angolan side Sagrada Esperança 5-1 at the Air Defense Stadium in Group D.
The Egyptian team put on a strong performance, especially in the second half, confirming their status as serious contenders for one of the quarterfinal spots in a group that also includes Tunisian side Esperance and Malian club Djoliba.
Pyramids kicked off their goal-scoring spree with a brilliant header from Ibrahim Adel off a corner kick delivered by Moroccan fullback Mohamed El Shibi in the 18th minute.
The home side continued to apply pressure and create opportunities without changing the score line in the first half. However, the second half was a different story, as Mohamed Hamdy added the second goal with a shot from the left side of the box following a pass from Ibrahim Adel in the 50th minute.
Ibrahim Adel continued his excellent performance by scoring his second goal and the third for his team with a brilliant shot into the net after a pass from Mohanad Lasheen in the 74th minute. Two minutes later, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Fiston Mayele extended the lead after a series of passes between Adel and Ramadan Sobhi in the 76th minute. Ahmed Atef completed the 5-1 victory for Pyramids after a precise pass from Ramadan Sobhi in the 89th minute.
Kashi saved some face for the visitors by scoring a consolation goal after a pass from Dala Sebastião in injury time (90+3).
