Mahmoud Kahraba scored a hat-trick as Al Ahly of Egypt triumphed 4-0 at Coton Sport of Cameroon on Friday to keep alive hopes of reaching the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. It was a must-win match for the record 10-time African champions and a scoring burst during each half in the northwestern city of Garoua secured maximum points in Group B. Despite the impressive victory, however, Ahly will be eliminated if Al Hilal of Sudan win at home to already qualified Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa on Saturday in matchday five.
Sundowns have 10 points and Hilal nine from four matches and Ahly seven and Coton none from five outings with group winners and runners-up progressing. Should Hilal draw or lose, who accompanies Sundowns to the knockout phase will be decided on March 31 or April 1 when the Sudanese outfit are away to Ahly. Stunned by a 5-2 loss at Sundowns last weekend, Ahly made six changes for the match in central Africa, with Kahraba among those promoted.
He rewarded Swiss coach Marcel Koller by scoring twice within six minutes midway through the opening half, finishing crosses from Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdy and South African Percy Tau. Kahraba, his head bandaged after an early first half collision with Coton goalkeeper Gabin Allambatnan, completed his treble six minutes into the second half. Tau, outstanding as a wide attacker for the second successive weekend, completed the rout soon after by cutting in and scoring with a shot that beat Chadian Allambatnan at his near post.
Ahly were forced to change goalkeepers at half-time with Ali Lotfy replacing Mohamed el Shenawy, who injured his left thigh just before the break. Elsewhere, Esperance of Tunisia and Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria secured quarter-finals places from Group D at the expense of Al Merrikh of Sudan and Zamalek of Egypt. Four-time champions Esperance drew 1-1 with Merrikh, who were forced to play in the Libyan city of Benghazi because their home ground in Omdurman is not up to international standards.
Mohamed Ali Ben Hammouda scored his third goal of the African campaign for Esperance midway through the first half and Brazilian Paulo Sergio leveled from a last-minute penalty. Belouizdad sealed a third straight last-eight appearance thanks to a 2-0 victory over five-time title-holders Zamalek in Algiers. Zakaria Draoui broke the deadlock with 15 minutes remaining and Cameroonian Leonel Wamba doubled the lead almost immediately.
