Ahly And Downs Into The Semis
Continental football giants Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns are in the semis of the inaugural African Football League. Both teams were helped by strong 1st leg results to earn spots in the last four of the highly lucrative tournament.
South Africans champions, Mamelodi Sundowns had already wrapped up the tie against Angola’s Petro de Luanda with a two-nil win in Luanda a few days ago. Downs had to play almost the entire match with 10 men in a half-empty Loftus Stadium in Pretoria. Hardman Mothibi Mvala was giving his marching orders for a lunging tackle with the referee deeming he was the last man and therefore denied the opponent a clear goalscoring opportunity. Despite the numerical advantage, Petro de Luanda only managed one shot on target. Ronwen Williams had an off day in the Downs goal.
A second half header by Sadio Kanoute had Simba players and supporters dreaming of a most memorable upset before Mahmoud Kahraba found the net. Al Ahly, Africa’s most successful club in the past century, seem to always find it difficult against the Tanzanian giants. Kahraba’s goal bringing relief and joy to Marcell Koller, who would surely faced a tricky future in Egypt.
The two African giants will now meet in what is set to be an explosive African Football League semifinal. The first leg is set for 29 October as the busy schedule continues for both teams.
