Egyptian giants Al-Ahly booked their place in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals for an eighth consecutive season after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ghanaian side Medeama in the fifth round of group stage on Friday.
A second-half goal from winger Hussein El-Shahat was enough to seal the three points for the Cairo club at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, moving them onto nine points at the top of Group A with one game remaining.
The match witnessed several standout moments, with Mostafa Shobeir showcasing his goalkeeping prowess early on, denying Medeama’s attempts to find the back of the net.
However, it was El-Shahat who stole the spotlight in the 48th minute, calmly slotting home a well-executed finish to secure victory for Al-Ahly.
With this crucial victory, the Cairo giants stay at the top of group, securing their passage to the next round with a comfortable four-point lead over Belouizdad and Young Africans, who are set to face off later this weekend.
On the other hand, Medeama languish at the bottom of the table with four points.
Al-Ahly’s focus turns to their upcoming clash against Young Africans, where they aim to cement their position at the top of the group. A draw would suffice for the Egyptian side to ensure they clinch the top spot in the standings.
It was far from plain sailing for the record eight-time African champions however, with the hosts proving stubborn opposition for much of the match.
Al-Ahly dominated the early exchanges and El-Shahat went close in the 13th minute, curling a shot narrowly over the crossbar.
Medeama then had their best chance of the half on 16 minutes, only for Mostafa Shobeir to produce a fine save to deny the Ghanaian striker Lomotey.
The game remained goalless at the break, but Al-Ahly’s pressure finally told three minutes after half-time when El-Shahat latched onto a through ball from Anthony Modeste before slotting calmly beyond Medeama keeper Frank Boateng.
That proved the only goal of a tight contest, as Al-Ahly’s defence stood firm in the face of late pressure from the hosts. Wissam Abu Ali nearly added a second late on but saw his shot well saved by Boateng.
The result means the Cairo side extend their remarkable unbeaten run in the CAF Champions League to 15 matches, a sequence stretching back to their 5-2 defeat at the hands of Sundowns.
Medeama’s defeat means they will struggle to reach the knock-stage of the competition.
