A 3-0 victory by Egyptian heavyweights Al Ahly over Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday night meant they became the first African champions to win the title ten times in history.
Following a relatively even opening, Ahly took full advantage of Chiefs’ Happy Mashiane being dismissed shortly before the break thanks to the in-form forward Mohamed Sherif scoring a goal. After the restart, Cairo quickly began to take control, first through Mohamed Sherif’s exquisite chip, then through Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdy. Amr El Solia then netted Sherif’s clever backheel.
The Cairo club has won ten African titles, which is double the number of its nearest city rivals, Zamalek and DR Congo’s TP Mazembe. A third Champions League triumph follows for Pitso Mosimane, whose Egyptian team is defending the title they won last year, while his first success came with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016. It was one of his most unusual successes because it came against the very team he cheered for as a boy, making him only the second Al Ahly coach to win Africa two years in a row after Manuel Jose of Portugal in 2005 and 2006.
It was the holders 14th consecutive appearance in the ultimate event of African club football, and they faced a side that was making its debut against the holders. As for Al Ahly, the team will attempt to impress at the Club World Cup as they did at the 2020 edition when they beat Brazilian side Palmeiras and took on defending European champions Bayern Munich in a thrilling semi-final match.
