25 - 31 October 2001
Issue No.557
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 25 - 31 October 2001 Issue No.557 |
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Among the final four
Ahli is back in the semi-final of Africa's most prestigious football club tournament. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab describes how the side got there
After a 14-year absence, Ahli has returned to the African Champions League semi-finals after a precious 1-0 win against Chebab Blouizdad in Algiers.
Ahli is back in the semi-final of Africa's most prestigious football club tournament. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab describes how the side got there
Defender Ibrahim Said put his offensive prowess to good use with a goal in the 11th minute and Ahli made the solitary strike stand the rest of the way with a staunch defence and some top-notch goalkeeping by Essam El-Hadari. Mohamed Farouk could have added an insurance goal but the Ahli striker, out for several months because of injury and lack of form, could not find the net.
Pre-match security measures were tightened up to prevent crowd rioting which marred an Egyptian- Algerian World Cup qualifier in the summer in Anaba. But Sunday's match was played largely free of disturbances.
Ivorian champions ASEC would have leap- frogged over Ahli had the Egyptians lost or drawn in Algeria. As it turned out, Petro Atletico of Angola finished top of Group B with 12 points, ahead of Ahli only on goal difference. ASEC ended up with 10 points, while Blouizdad could muster just one point from its six matches.
Ahli, two-time African champions, will now face Esperance of Tunisia in its first leg in Cairo while Petro will first play away against Sundowns of South Africa. The semis will be played on 2-4 November and the return matches are to be held two weeks later.
Ahli's win ended ASEC's hopes of a place in the last four despite its surprising 1-0 away win over Petro. Seydou Kante scored the goal from a penalty kick in the 90th minute. Skipper Kolo Abib Toure had missed an earlier spot kick in the 70th minute.
Esperance topped a tight Group A on goal difference from Sundowns after each club collected nine points. Julius Berger from Nigeria and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo finished on the seven-point mark.
TP Mazembe bowed out of the championship with pride intact after a 3-2 home win over Esperance. The large crowd in the southern Congolese city of Lubumbashi was treated to a feast of attacking soccer, including three goals in the final three minutes.
Assured of qualifying for the knockout phase before the game, 1999 and 2000 runner-up Esperance rested regular goalkeeper Mohamed Zouabi and defenders Tarek Thabat and Radhi Jaidi, and injury ruled out star striker Ali Zitouni.
The makeshift Tunisian defence struggled on a dusty, rock-hard pitch in the Congo and it was no surprise when Kangwana Bazilepo put Mazembe ahead with a low shot after 15 minutes.
Mansuela Matondo doubled the advantage three minutes after half-time, heading the ball past Abderraouf Ratouli after the goalkeeper had parried his first attempt.
Bechir Shabani pulled one goal back from a penalty kick, Nawej Mpenza restored the two-goal lead for Mazembe, and Moyin Chaabani struck deep in stoppage time from a free kick as the match ended with a goal flurry.
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