Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan scored twice to lead Al Ahly to a 2–0 victory over Tanzania’s Young Africans on Friday night, as the Egyptian champions strengthened their grip on the top of Group B in the CAF Champions League.
Playing at Borg El-Arab Stadium, Ahly secured all three points thanks to goals either side of the interval, moving three points clear at the summit of the group and underlining their status as one of the tournament’s leading contenders.
Danish head coach Jess Thorup handed a debut to newly signed striker Marwan Othman, while continuing to rely on goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir in place of injured captain Mohamed El-Shenawy. Ahly dominated possession from the outset, circulating the ball confidently but finding it difficult to penetrate a disciplined and compact Young Africans back line during much of the first half.
Despite spending long spells without the ball, the Tanzanian side posed a threat on the counter. Shobeir was called into action several times, producing a series of sharp saves to deny long-range efforts and rapid breaks that briefly unsettled the hosts.
The breakthrough finally arrived in first-half stoppage time. Mohamed Hany delivered an inviting cross from the right, and Trezeguet timed his run perfectly to rise above the defence and steer a precise header into the bottom corner. It was the winger’s fifth goal of the Champions League campaign, taking him clear at the top of the competition’s scoring charts.
Forced to chase the game after the break, Young Africans pushed higher up the pitch, abandoning their cautious approach and leaving space for Ahly to exploit. Thorup responded by injecting fresh attacking impetus, introducing Slovenian forward Nejc Gradišar on 66 minutes.
Ahly’s control eventually translated into a second goal in the 75th minute. Emam Ashour threaded a measured pass into the left channel, and Trezeguet finished clinically with a right-footed strike into the far corner to seal the result and earn Man of the Match honours.
Gradišar came close to adding a third soon after, but his close-range effort drifted narrowly wide. Thorup then opted to manage the closing stages, bringing on Taher Mohamed Taher and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane to reinforce midfield and preserve the clean sheet.
Young Africans goalkeeper Djigui Diarra made several late saves to keep the scoreline respectable, but Ahly remained in full control as they closed out a comfortable victory.
The result lifts Ahly to seven points from three matches, while Young Africans remain second on four points. Morocco’s FAR Rabat and Algeria’s JS Kabylie trail in third and fourth place respectively, each with a single point.
Ahly will now turn their attention to the return fixture, traveling to Tanzania to face Young Africans again on 31 January, with qualification firmly within their sights.
