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Zamalek-SC-vs-USM-Alger-Final-MatchAFP
Ahmad Salah
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Video: 40 seconds secure Zamalek's passage to the Champions League group stage, as Pyramids devour Al-Merrikh Bentiu

Match report
Zamalek SC vs APR FC
Zamalek SC
APR FC
CAF Champions League Qualification
Pyramids FC vs El Merriekh FC Bentiu
Pyramids FC
El Merriekh FC Bentiu
Egypt
Rwanda
South Sudan

Egyptian qualification with minimal effort

Zamalek booked their place in the CAF Champions League group stage with a 1-0 win over Rwanda's APR in the second leg of the round of 32 on Saturday at Cairo Stadium. The same scoreline in the first leg in Kigali sealed their passage.

Ahmed Sherif struck the only goal just 40 seconds after kick-off. That early lead handed the White side control and left their opponents chasing an unlikely turnaround.



Zamalek piled on the pressure from the off. Mohamed Hamad nearly doubled the lead in the sixth minute, firing over the crossbar, and Oday Dabbagh let fly with a powerful strike four minutes later.

A heavy collision in the 13th minute left Zamalek goalkeeper El Mahdy Soliman shaken.

APR pushed to get back into the tie, but their efforts carried little threat. Mohamed Shehata wasted a chance for Zamalek before the break, with the hosts going in 1-0 up.

  • Scattered attempts

    El Mahdy Soliman got the second half off to a safe start, dealing with a dangerous effort from the Rwandan army side in the 48th minute. Mohamed Hamad tried his luck two minutes later but never troubled the goal.

    Keen to inject fresh legs, Zamalek's technical staff turned to the bench. On came Ahmed Rabie and Shikabala Banza in the 56th minute, followed by Adam Kayed and Hossam Ashraf in the 68th.

    The Rwandan army side kept hunting for the goal that would breathe life back into the tie. Zamalek's defence cleared one effort in the 63rd minute, then Soliman dealt with a powerful shot in the 75th.

    Adam Kayed whipped in a set-piece cross in the 90th minute. It rebounded off the goalkeeper's hand to Mohamed Shehata, who scuffed his shot wide and spurned a glorious chance to extend the lead.

    Zamalek saw out the win to confirm their aggregate superiority over the two legs. They sealed qualification to the group stage and kept their continental journey alive.

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  • Pyramids advance comfortably to the group stage

    Elsewhere, Pyramids sealed their spot in the CAF Champions League group stage with a comprehensive 4-0 win over South Sudanese champions Al-Merrikh Bentiu on Saturday at the Air Defence Stadium. The second-leg rout came on top of a 1-0 victory in the first leg.

    Pyramids piled on the pressure from the off. Youssef Obama nearly opened the scoring inside the first minute, only to fire over the crossbar.

    Al-Merrikh's defence then repelled another effort from Abdel Rahman Magdy. The forward would not be denied for long, breaking the deadlock in the 23rd minute as he latched onto a precise cross from Mostafa Fathy.


    There was no let-up. Just three minutes later, the Pyramids striker doubled the tally, turning a corner into the net.

    Al-Merrikh Bentiu thought they had pulled one back in the 30th minute, but the referee ruled it out for offside. Mahmoud Saber then squandered a chance from a free kick, and the South Sudanese keeper beat away a powerful strike from Mohamed El-Shibi.

    Mostafa Fathy made it three before the break. Pyramids went in at half-time three goals to the good.

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  • A fourth goal: and a forced shortage

    The second half began with the post denying Youssef Obama a fourth goal. Abdel Rahman Magdy then wasted the chance to complete a personal hat-trick after a pass from Nasser Maher.

    Mokwena made three changes in the 65th minute, bringing on Ahmed Atef Qota, Ahmed Abdelkader and Ahmed Nadir Bouali in place of Obama, Nasser Maher and Mahmoud Saber.

    The Algerian needed only a few minutes to leave his mark. Bouali scored the fourth goal in the 70th minute.

    In the 75th minute, Mokwena brought back Al-Fakhoury and Hamed Hamdan for Mohamed El-Shibi and Karim Hafez. Three minutes later disaster struck. Bouali picked up an injury and had to leave the pitch, and with their substitutions used up, Pyramids finished the match with ten men.

    Ahmed El-Shenawy came to the rescue in the 86th minute, stopping a dangerous effort from Al-Merrikh striker Pantio, who found himself one-on-one with the goal. The save preserved Pyramids' clean sheet and confirmed their progress to the group stage.

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