Al Ahly of Egypt secured a valuable and well-deserved 2-0 victory over their Tanzanian visitors, Young Africans, in a match played Friday evening at Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, as part of the third round of Group B in the CAF Champions League. The Red Devils owe this win to their captain and star of the match, Mahmoud Hassan "Trezeguet," who scored both goals.
Match details and winning scenario
The match witnessed tactical dominance by the home team, as Trezeguet opened the scoring at an ideal time, specifically in the third minute of first-half stoppage time (45+3), taking advantage of a perfect cross from right-back Mohamed Hany, which he converted with a deceptive header that nestled in the net of Malian goalkeeper Djigui Diarra, ending the first half with a psychologically comfortable lead for Al-Ahly.
In the second half, Al Ahly continued their attacking pressure to increase the score, which was achieved in the 74th minute through a wonderful tactical sequence that started with the Malian Aliou Dieng, passing through the substitute Slovenian Nejc Gradiscar, then Ahmed Sayed "Zizo" and Emam Ashour, until the ball finally reached Trezeguet inside the penalty area, who put it into the net with a perfect curved shot, announcing the second goal for him and the team.
Technical changes and coach's reading
The match was managed by Danish coach Jesse Torup, who surprised everyone by starting young goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir in place of veteran Mohamed El Shenawy. He also included new signing Marwan Osman in the attack. The second half saw tactical changes to revitalize the team, with Taher Mohamed Taher and Tunisian Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane replacing Ashour and Zizo, in addition to the introduction of Hussein El Shahat and Ahmed Eid. These changes helped maintain the team's rhythm and the scoreline.
The context of the competition and Al Ahly's continental history
This victory comes as Al Ahly continues its quest to extend its record as the most decorated club in the CAF Champions League. The strong performance in this match reflects the "Club of the Century's" desire to reclaim the title and maintain its continental prestige, especially given the team's long history of achievements that makes it a perennial contender for the final stages. These three points represent a pivotal step in the team's journey towards another star, with Al Ahly fans placing great faith in their players' experience to navigate the knockout rounds later on.
Group position and the impact of the result
With this result, Al Ahly secured sole possession of first place in Group B with 7 points, extending their lead to 3 points over their closest rivals, Young Africans. This top spot is crucial in the qualification calculations, as finishing first typically guarantees avoiding a quarter-final clash with other group winners, thus easing the team's path to the semi-finals. The group also includes JS Kabylie of Algeria and FAR Rabat of Morocco, both of whom have one point each before their anticipated encounter, making the battle for the second qualifying spot fiercely contested.
The two teams are scheduled to meet again in the fourth round, when Al-Ahly will be a tough guest for Young Africans in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam, next Saturday, in a match that will be crucial for confirming qualification.
