Al Ahly finished on top of their CAF Champions League group after edging Young Africans 1-0 on Friday evening.
CAF Champions League
Result: Al Ahly v Young Africans
Date: 01 March 2024
Venue: Cairo International Stadium
Bafana Bafana forward Percy Tau was retained in the line-up that had four changes from the narrow win over Medeama, as Akram Tawfik, Rami Rabia, Marwan Ateya and Ahmed Kouka were all brought in.The game was open in the early exchanges within the first eight minutes Aziz Ki had a chance for Yanga in the box with a strike that was saved by goalkeeper Oufa Shobeir.
The Red Devils had their good chance just before the half-hour mark after Mohamed Abdelmonem had a header in the box that missed narrowly wide.
It was end to end stuff just before the interval as Pacôme Zouzoua came close to breaking the deadlock for the visitors with a looping shot that was smothered by Shobeir.
Anthony Modeste also had a chance for Marcel Koller's men with a header that was kept out by shot-stopper Djigui Diarra.
The home side had a perfect start in the second stanza as Hussein El Shahat eventually broke the deadlock a minute from the break with a strike in the box after he combined with Ali Maaloul.
Young Africans had a good response as they threw everything at Al Ahly, with chance after chance but Shobeir was in an uncompromising mood.
Koller needed fresh legs in attack with 15 minutes to go, as Taher Mohamed replaced Hussein El Shahat on the wing and Wessam Abou Ali came on for Anthony Modeste up top.
Al Ahly denied Miguel Gamondi's charges momentum in the closing stages, as they ran down the clock with substitutions that included Tau making way for Reda Slim as they held on to a narrow win.
The Red Devils finished four points ahead of Yanga and unbeaten in Group D, while Both sides were already through to the quarter-finals before the encounter.
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