Reigning African club champions Al Ahly earned three points away from home with Friday’s 1-0 victory over Ghana Premier League side Medeama in a 2023-24 CAF Champions League clash played in Kumasi. Hussein El Shahat scored the only goal of the match early in the second half for the Cairo club who extend their lead to four points at the top of Group D with one match left to play at home against Tanzanian champions Young Africans. Medeama are on the verge of elimination following the home defeat and may have little to play for in their final Group D match away at Algeria’s CR Belouizdad.
The Ghanaian hosts showed some potential and a high level of energy in the first half. Forward Bernardinho Tetteh forced a good reaction save from Ahly goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir in the 11th minute and Daniel Lomotey sent a dangerous header just wide of Shobeir’s goal after getting on the end of a 36th minute free kick service from Hamidu Abdul Fatawu.
Efficiency is important in close matches with few opportunities and Ahly secured the victory courtesy of a moment of quality in the 48th minute. Amr El Solia’s chipped pass into the Medeama penalty area found French striker Anthony Modeste who took the ball down and laid a pass to El Shahat. Medeama keeper Felix Kyei got a hand to El Shahat’s left-footed strike but the ball bounced into the goal just inside the post.
In another group stage match played simultaneously in Libya, Sudanese champions Al-Hilal Omdurman were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw with Group C leaders Petro de Luanda. The Angolan visitors continued their perfect defensive record through five Group C matches and now lead by four points ahead of Al-Hilal and Tunisian giants Espérance, who will face rivals Étoile du Sahel on Saturday in the other match from the group. Al-Hilal will need nothing less than a victory in their final Group C match in Tunis against Espérance in early March while Petro host Étoile in Luanda.
The late match saw another scoreless encounter in Abidjan between hosts ASEC Mimosas and Tanzania’s Simba SC. Both teams failed to show attacking initiative in a sleepy duel that mutually benefited the participants. ASEC clinch top spot in Group B while Simba can secure second place with a victory at home against Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy on the final day.
Video of El Shahat’s match winner for Al Ahly is below.
Scores
Group D
Medeama SC (GHA) 0-1 Al Ahly (EGY)
Group C
Al-Hilal Omdurman (SDN) 0-0 Petro de Luanda (ANG)
Group B
ASEC Mimosas (CIV) 0-0 Simba SC (TZA)
Highlights
Medeama 0-1 Al Ahly
