Ahly win CAF Champions League thanks to late Magdy goal

CAIRO: A late goal from Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdy gave Al Ahly a dramatic 2-1 victory over Zamalek on Friday in an all-Egyptian CAF Champions League final in Cairo.

Magdy struck as stoppage time loomed behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic after Amr el Soleya had given Ahly an early lead and ‘Shikabala’ scored a magnificent equaliser before half-time.

With 85 minutes gone, Magdy controlled the ball with his knee outside the area and hammered it into the net to earn Ahly a record-extending ninth Champions League title and first since 2013.

The climax was in keeping with a thrilling final that completed a competition which began in August last year and was constantly delayed by Covid-19.

Success for Ahly meant South African Pitso Mosimane became only the third coach after Argentine Oscar Fullone and Egyptian Mahmoud el Gohary to win the Champions League title with two clubs.

Mosimane guided Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa to a 3-1 aggregate victory over Zamalek in the 2016 title decider.

Before the kick off in a stadium that would normally be packed to its 74,000 capacity for a Cairo derby, both teams observed a moment of silence in honour of Argentine icon Diego Maradona, who died on Wednesday.

Ahly took a fifth-minute lead when Amr el Soleya rose to powerfully head a corner kick into the net after goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal had conceded the set piece under pressure from Hussein el Shahat.