Ahmed Kendouci’s first Al Ahly goal in the CAF Champions League and on his debut added to a first minute strike from Mohamed Sheriff and a late goal from substitute Rafaat Khalil Abdelkader Bayoumi as the Egyptian giants outclassed Cotonsport 3-0 to in a deferred Match Day 1 fixture for the 2022/23.
This Saturday’s clash at the Al Salaam stadium was initially scheduled earlier this year, but Al Ahly’s engagement in the FIFA Club World Cup delayed it.
Both sides were winless going into the game but Marcel Koller’s Al Ahly had more hunger as justified by the final score.
Gabriel Haman restored Gadin Allambatnan between the sticks for Cotonsport, but it was the same old story. The keeper sat out the team in the 1-2 defeat against Al Hilal last weekend in Garoua after conceding three against Sundowns didn’t do any better on his return.
Unmarked Sheriff received a square ball inside the penalty from Ahly’s first attack and volleyed past the Chadian keeper to put the hosts ahead after just 52 seconds.
As it has been the case in previous outings, Cotonsport improved after conceding. Though this time around the Red Devils remained more daring and enjoyed a bulk of the possession.
Al Ahly was rewarded for their dominance five minutes before the interval; January signing Kendouci on his debut pounced on an Ahmed Maaloul assist to make it 2-0.
Coton reacted to being 2-0 down at the break by introducing on Moshood Kasali, Daman Bouba Abdourahman and Ramses Donfack in place of Goni Ali, McGregor Veraloh and Triomphe Kokolo.
The changes made the visitors better partly as Al Ahly adopted a more conservative approach at the start of the second segment.
Knowing the result was already in the bag Koller pulled out Aliou Dieng and Taher Mohamed, and replaced them with Bayoumi and Marwan Attia Fahim Ghallab.
Percy Tau and Hamdi Fathi were also made way late on, but more telling for the rest of the Coton’s competition was the late booking for Kaiba Djawal.
Bayoumi sealed the win for Ahly with a 74% possession to beat Coton 3-0 – without a save from skipper and Egypt’s first choice keeper Mohammed El Shenawy.
Midfielder Kaiba also saw yellow against Mamelodi Sundowns in Match day two, meaning he will miss Tuesday’s match day 4 game against Al Hilal SC in Khartoum.
The Red Devils remain third in Group C with four points from three games while Coton are at the base of the table with no point and have lost their last nine group stage games in the competition.
Mamelodi Sundowns who host Al Ahly next week top the group with seven points while Hilal SC’s six points leaves them on the second spot.
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