21 - 27 March 2002
Issue No.578
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 21 - 27 March 2002 Issue No.578 |
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Super win
Ahli's goalkeeper turned goal scorer as the club crushed Kaizer Chiefs to lift the African Super Cup for the first time. Abeer Anwar reports on the victory and an unlikely source of a goal
Even the goalkeeper got into the act as Egypt's Ahli won their first African Super football Cup, tearing apart South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs 4-1.
It was a record-equalling victory margin in the annual showdown between the holders of the African Champions League and the African Cup Winners Cup and for the fourth consecutive year, the champions triumphed.
In Cairo on Friday, Ahli made a perfect start as they attempted to shrug off recent poor form that included a tough 2- 1 home win over Oserian Fastac of Kenya when they began their defence of the Champions League title earlier this month.
Ahli began the scoring bonanza in the seventh minute by Khaled Bibo who has shined recently as Ahli's exclusive striker. A careless pass by Marco Mthembu and a lucky bounce off Cyril Nzama released Bibo and he placed his shot between the legs of goalkeeper Brian Baloyi, the long-serving star who turned 28 on Saturday.
The Chiefs levelled midway through the opening half when defender Nzama availed himself of slack marking to head home a corner only for Ahli to regain the lead with 30 minutes gone as Hossam Ghali headed in a cross from Bibo at the far post. Once again the tormentor was Bibo, who scored a hat- trick when the Egyptians defeated another South African club, Sundowns, 3-0 three months ago to lift the premier Pan- African club trophy.
The victory was sealed in the second half courtesy of a must- see goal by El-Hadari in the 65th minute. A home crowd of 40,000 -- half of Cairo Stadium -- saw the goalkeeper take a free kick inside his own half after 65 minutes, the ball floating over opposite number Baloyi into the net via the underside of the crossbar.
One of the more amazing goals seen at Cairo Stadium gave the Red Devils a 3-1 lead and Sayed Abdel-Hafiz sealed victory four minutes later with a low drive that went in off Baloyi.
A fluid, fast-paced match produced four cautions from Libyan referee Abdul-Karim Shelmani.
It was the second Super Cup appearance of Ahli, who lost 1- 0 to arch Cairo rivals Zamalek in the 1994 edition, while Chiefs were playing in the competition for the first time.
Hossam Ghali, above, gets by a longing Chief. Left, the valued trophy as man of the match; Khaled Bibo and goalie Essam El - Hadari, far left, celebrate photos:Amr Gamal
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