Defending champions Al Ahly produced a smash and grab 1-0 win over ASEC Mimosas in an MTN CAF Champions League Group B encounter in Abidjan on Sunday, with Mohamed Aboutrika scoring the only goal of the match five minutes before half time.

Follow up:

ASEC had more of the play throughout the game, with midfielder Gildas Kassiaty causing particular problems for the returning Gilberto down Ahly’s left, but so often the final ball from the Ivorian winger and his teammates was under hit or misplaced, leaving attackers Emmanuel Kone and Idrissu Abdul Nafiu frustrated at the lack of opportunities.


Ali Diarra did trouble Essam Al Hadari with a fierce volley that forced the Egyptian goal minder to make a sharp save low to his right hand side in what was ASEC’s best moment of the first 45 minutes but otherwise the goalkeeper was mostly untroubled as his three-man defence of

Ahmed Adel, Emad Al Nahhas and Ahmed El Sayed stood firm against wave after wave of ASEC attacks.


Al Ahly made the hosts pay for their poor execution when Aboutrika got on the end of a Flavio knock-down to fire home in the 40th minute and gave the Red Devils a lead that was very much against the run of play.


The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with Ahly seeing even less of the ball and ASEC’s half of the pitch, but in truth the Egyptians were never really troubled and are now already in a strong position to qualify for the semifinals.





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