Just for kicks

Though they had already bowed out of the tournament, that did not stop Ismaili from drubbing Ahli in the African Champions League, reports Ahmed Morsy.

Former African champions Ismaili hammered their bitter rivals Ahli 4-2 at home in a rather meaningless match of the group stage in the CAF Champions League on Sunday. Although the result had no influence on both teams' standings, it boosted the morale of Ismaili and their rabid supporters after the club bowed out of the continental club championship the match before.

Semi-finalists Ahli had already qualified for the next round before the encounter so they put on the field a second string side in order to rest a number of key players. Ahli left out Mohamed Abu Treika, Wa'el Gomaa, Said Moawad, Hossam Ghali, Hossam Ashour, Mohamed Fadl and goalie Sherif Ikrami. It was part relaxation, part tactical to protect some of the stars from a second yellow card. Ghali is suspended for four matches.

Ismaili, though, came out with their full squad, confirming their desire for the maximum points in order to avenge their 2-1 away defeat in Cairo Stadium to Ahli earlier in the qualifiers.

On Sunday, in the 30th minute, Abdullah El-Shahat broke the deadlock and gave the lead to Ismaili following a powerful long-range effort. Five minutes later, mercurial midfielder Mohamed Barakat leveled the score after making good use of a rebound from inside the area where he shot a furious drive into the net's roof.

Only two minutes later, Ismaili regained the lead when Egypt striker Ahmed Ali connected with right-back Ahmed Sedik's low cross.
In the 70th minute, Ismaili defender Moatasem Salem ensured the coastal side's lead by adding the third goal after heading his side's corner.

Ismaili scored again to make it 4-1 after Ismaili left-back Ahmed Samir Farag beat goalie Ahmed Adel.

In the closing phases of the game, youngster striker Mohamed Talaat grabbed a consolation goal for Ahli.

"This game confirmed that the unjust refereeing is the reason why we lost our chance to go through," Ismaili coach Dutchman Mark Wotte said after the match.

"We could have won by a much bigger margin today if it hadn't been for the opportunities we squandered," Wotte added.

"The game was more important for us, of course. We needed a morale boost."

In the other Group B match, leaders JS Kabylie of Algeria and Nigeria's Heartland drew 1-1.

JSK thus finished on 14 points, Ahli eight, Ismaili six points with Heartland at the bottom on five points.

In Group A, Tunisian giants Esperance ended their campaign at the group stage of the Champions League with a lone goal victory over Dynamos of Zimbabwe in Harare on Saturday.

TP Mazembe settled for a goalless draw with Algeria's Entente Setif in Setif.

In the semi-finals, six-time winners Ahli will face Esperance while holders TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo engage JS Kabylie also for a place in the final. The first leg of the Ahli-Esperance match-up will be played in Cairo on 3 October.

In the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup, Moroccan representatives FUS Rabat came from behind to beat Egypt's Haras Al-Hedoud 2-1 in their Group B encounter in Alexandria on Sunday.

FUS Rabat now have nine points, CS Sfaxien of Tunisia trail on seven points, Zambia's Zanaco have four points with Haras Al-Hedoud last with two points after four round of matches and two games to go.

In Group A, Libya's Ittihad share top spot with Al-Hilal on nine points apiece, Djoliba have four points while AS FAN of Niger occupy the bottom of the standings with one point.

After the group stage, the first and second teams of each group will play a criss-cross semi-final to determine the finalists.

From: Al Ahram