Al Ahly edge past Al Hilal again to book semi-final clash with Sundowns
Al Ahly secured their place in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF 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 result sends Al Ahly through to their 21st Champions League semi-final – a staggering sixth in a row – where they will face familiar foes Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in what promises to be a mouth-watering encounter. Tense first half in Mauritania
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. Ashour strikes late to seal tie
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. Eyes on Sundowns showdown
Al Ahly now turn their attention to a blockbuster semi-final showdown against South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns, who overcame Esperance de Tunis in their own quarter-final tie.
The two clubs have forged a tense rivalry in recent seasons, and their upcoming encounter is set to draw continental attention once again.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
6 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Top EU court rule that FIFA's decisions can be challenged outside Switzerland - World
The European Union's top court ruled on Friday that the decisions of world football's governing body FIFA can be challenged outside Switzerland, opening up a system that currently binds athletes, officials and clubs to accept verdicts there. A statement from the European Court of Justice said that tribunals in the 27 EU member states 'must be able to carry out an in-depth review of those awards for consistency with the fundamental rules of EU law.' The ECJ ruling in Luxembourg means that EU national courts should be able to review verdicts from the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), involving other sports authorities as well. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union. 'The awards made by the CAS must be amenable to effective judicial review," the statement said. It said that 'national courts or tribunals must be empowered to carry out ... an in-depth judicial review' to ensure that CAS rulings "are consistent with EU public policy.' There was no immediate comment from FIFA or CAS. The decision could end a decade-long legal fight by Belgian football club RFC Seraing and Maltese investment fund Doyen Sports. They opposed FIFA rules prohibiting third-party ownership of a player's registration and transfer rights and in 2015 asked a commercial court in Brussels to review if those rules breached EU law. The ECJ did not specifically rule on third-party ownership as such, only the scope of CAS decisions. Seraing's lawyer, Jean-Louis Dupont, said the club should be compensated after FIFA imposed sanctions, including transfer bans and a fine. He added that the ruling has wide implications, challenging the legality of all 'forced arbitrations' by mandated international sports federations. 'In summary, the (court) has definitively ended the procedural deception used by international sports federations to evade the proper application of EU law through the imposition of compulsory arbitration outside the EU,' said Dupont, who also helped win the landmark Bosman case on the contractual freedom of players 30 years ago. The Court of Arbitration for Sport was created in 1984 to give sports a unified and binding legal forum for settling disputes and appeals based in the International Olympic Committee's home city of Lausanne, Switzerland. It is the mandatory path for athletes to challenge disciplinary and appeal judgments by Olympic sports federations. It rules on cases across dozens of sports and is a key authority in doping cases. Football is by far the biggest client in the CAS caseload of about 950 registered each year. FIFA's contribution of 2.5 million Swiss francs ($2.75 million) to CAS in 2023 was more than 10% of the court's revenue that year. CAS verdicts can be challenged at Switzerland's supreme court in Lausanne on limited procedural grounds and are rarely overturned. Seraing and Doyen lost at the Swiss Federal Tribunal in 2018. The ECJ said any CAS decision that binds other courts or tribunals from acting 'are contrary to EU law.' The ruling marks a new legal blow to the authority of sports bodies in Switzerland. The same European court in Luxembourg has handed down two other major rulings in the last two years under EU competition law — in the Super League case and Lassana Diarra transfer dispute — that challenged the authority of football bodies FIFA and UEFA. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
CAF
2 days ago
- CAF
TotalEnergies CAF CHAN 2024: South Africa team profile
File Fact: Nickname: Bafana Bafana Total Appearances: Three (2011, 2014, 2025) Last Appearance: Algeria 2022 (Did not qualify) Titles: 0 FIFA Ranking: 56 Coach: Molefe Ntseki Captain: Neo Maema South Africa Eye First Knockout Spot At TotalEnergies CHAN Having qualified for the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) for only the fourth time, South Africa will be hoping to finally break their group-stage curse and go deeper into the tournament. Bafana Bafana's CHAN journey has been a mixed one. Their best performance came in 2014 on home soil when they made it out of the group stages but were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Nigeria. Since then, they've struggled to make a meaningful impact, with disappointing campaigns in 2016 and failure to qualify in 2018 and 2022. This year, South Africa return with renewed intent and a squad selected from the country's domestic-based players, giving a platform for local talent to shine on the continental stage. Despite hosting the tournament in 2014, they've never reached the semi-final stage. This year presents a big opportunity to rewrite that history. What To Expect: There is cautious optimism around this Bafana Bafana team, which features domestic league standouts and emerging stars the lower division. With more technical depth and attacking flair than in previous editions, expectations are that Ntseki's side will aim to at least make the knockout phase. Fan Zone: Did you know? South Africa's only senior continental title came at the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 1996 on home soil. Since then, the country has been chasing another major trophy at senior level. While CHAN is not contested with overseas-based players, it remains a prestigious platform, especially for homegrown talent seeking to break into the senior Bafana Bafana squad for future TotalEnergies CAF AFCON or World Cup campaigns. How They Qualified: South Africa sealed their spot at the finals after a dominant 2-1 aggregate win over Malawi in the final qualification round. Under the guidance of coach Molefi, the squad impressed over both legs with attacking intent and solid defensive shape. Key Player To Watch: Neo Maema The Mamelodi Sundowns attacking midfielder is a visionary player who is renowned for both creating and finishing off scoring chances. His influence was vital as Bafana Bafana managed to qualify for the next edition of the CHAN. Know The Coach: Know The Coach: Molefi Ntseki Molefi Ntseki returns to the national team fold with the responsibility of guiding Bafana Bafana's CHAN squad. The 54-year-old previously served as head coach of the senior national team from 2019 to 2021, having also worked extensively within SAFA's youth structures, including the U17 and U20 teams. Known for his tactical discipline and deep knowledge of domestic football, Ntseki is seen as a coach who can get the best out of locally-based players. His focus on structured build-up play and defensive organisation will be key in South Africa's quest to make it past the group stage for just the second time in TotalEnergies CAF CHAN history. Past CHAN Performances: 2011 (Sudan): Group Stage Exit Group Stage Exit 2013 (South Africa): Quarter-final (Lost to Nigeria) Quarter-final (Lost to Nigeria) 2016 (Rwanda): Did Not Qualify Did Not Qualify 2019 (Morocco) Did not qualify Did not qualify 2022 (Algeria): Did not qualify
See - Sada Elbalad
3 days ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Women's EPL: Al Zamalek to Host Al Ahly on Dec 5
Rana Atef Zamalek Women's Football Team will host rivals Al Ahly in the highly anticipated Women's Premier League derby for the new season on December 5, with the match set to take place at Zamalek Club's Mit Okba stadium. The Egyptian Football Association has officially informed the participating clubs that the 2025–2026 Women's Premier League season will kick off on August 22. This season will feature the participation of 17 clubs: Al Ahly, Zamalek, Wadi Degla, Al Mokawloon Al Arab, El Tayaran, ENPPI, NBE, ZED, Palm Hills, Masar, SIK FC, Ra'a, Modern Sport, Etihad Basyoun, Pyramids, Al Masry, and El Gouna. The draw of the Women's Premier League determined the following matchups for the first round of the 2025–2026 season: NBE vs. Ra'a Al Ahly vs. El Tayaran El Gouna vs. ENPPI Al Masry vs. Etihad Basyoun Modern Sport vs. Masar Zamalek vs. Palm Hills Wadi Degla vs. Al Mokawloon Al Arab ZED vs. Pyramids read more Japan Stun Spain 2-1 to Qualify for World Cup Last 16 World Cup 2022: Get to Know Confirmed Line-ups of Japan and Spain Group E Decider Saudi Arabia Bid Farewell to World Cup after 2-1 Loss to Mexico Tunisia Achieve Historic Win over France but Fail to Qualify Tunisia to Clash against France in World Cup Sports Get to Know Squad of Group D Teams in World Cup Sports Al Ahly Gift EGP 70,000 to Players After Claiming Egyptian Super Cup Title Sports Bencharki Hits First 2 Goals with Al Jazira Since Leaving Zamalek Sports Arsenal Possible Line-up for Nottingham Forest News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani
