AL AHLY SET UP CLUB WORLD CUP DATE WITH BAYERN MUNICH
AFRICAN champions Al Ahly beat Al Duhail 1-0 in an edgy affair to set up a semi-final clash against German giants Bayern Munich at the Fifa Club World Cup in Qatar.
Hussein El Shahat opened the scoring for the Egyptians after thirty minutes in Al Rayyan as they controlled the first half, but the local Qatari champions fought back valiantly after the break.
The match was played at thirty percent capacity at the Education City Stadium and despite Al Duhail playing in their home country, one would have been forgiven for thinking the game was in Cairo such was the crowd’s support for the Egyptians.
The solitary goal came after Congolese striker Walter Bwalya pounced on a mistake by Al Duhail’s Bassam Hisham, teeing up El Shahat on the edge of the box to whip home a right-footed shot and send the stadium into rapture.
Eight minutes later, Bwalya thought he had increased the Red Devils’ lead but his coollytaken finish was ruled out by VAR because of a marginal offside decision.
Al Duhail, who count Morocco’s former Juventus star Medhi Benatia in their ranks, are coached by former Nottingham Forest and Ivory Coast coach Sabri Lamouchi whose side showed much more initiative after the break.
They almost equalised through Mohammed Muntari whose shot was nervously spilled over the bar by Al Ahly keeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
Al Ahly will go into Monday’s match against European champions Bayern Munich full of confidence, with the ninetime African champions now unbeaten in 32 games.
The Cairo club is appearing at the Club World Cup for a sixth time and hoping to improve on their previous best showing - when finishing third in 2006.
They can also expect further lively support given the number of expatriate Egyptians, who turned out in their droves to welcome the team at the airport, in Qatar.
Earlier on, Mexican champions Tigres won 2-1 against South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai who took the lead through defender Kim Kee-hee after 24 minutes.
However, two goals from veteran French striker AndrePierre Gignac, including a penalty conceded by Kee-hee, handed victory to the Mexicans who will next face Brazil’s
Copa Libertadores champions Palmeiras tomorrow.
The Club World Cup final, which only two African sides have ever contested - DR Congo’s TP Mazembe in 2010 and Moroccans Raja Casablanca in 2013, takes place on February 11. – BBC.