Egyptian clubs shine in African competitions

Egyptian football clubs had a remarkable weekend, securing significant victories and advancing in their respective African competitions.

In the CAF Champions League, Al Ahly triumphed with a 3-1 victory over Côte d'Ivoire's Stade d'Abidjan in the fifth round of Group C. The match, held at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, saw Imam Ashour deliver a standout performance with a hat-trick. Despite an early lead from Saint Jean Koné in the 26th minute for Stade d'Abidjan, Ashour's goals in the 53rd, 73rd, and 95th minutes secured Al Ahly's win. This result elevated Al Ahly to 10 points, leading the group ahead of Orlando Pirates (8 points) and CR Belouizdad (6 points), who will face each other in Johannesburg on Sunday. Al Ahly will next host Orlando Pirates in Cairo, while Stade d'Abidjan visits CR Belouizdad in Algeria to conclude the group stage.

In Group D, Pyramids FC ensured their quarter-final spot with a 1-0 win over Angola's Sagrada Esperança. Marwan Hamdy scored the only goal in the 94th minute, bringing Pyramids' total to 10 points and securing the top position in the group. Sagrada remains third with 5 points, while Djoliba (2 points) will face Esperance (7 points) on Sunday. Pyramids will host Djoliba in Cairo, and Esperance will welcome Sagrada in Tunis for the final round of the group stage.

Adding to the success, Zamalek advanced to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup after a convincing 3-1 victory over Mozambique's Black Bulls. The match took place at Cairo International Stadium on Sunday evening, as part of the fifth round of Group D. Zamalek's win lifted their tally to 11 points, securing the top spot in the group and confirming their qualification for the quarter-finals. Black Bulls, with 4 points, are fourth in the group. Zamalek's qualification was confirmed ahead of the final group stage match.

These achievements highlight a strong showing from Egyptian clubs, with Al Ahly, Pyramids, and Zamalek all making significant strides in their respective African competitions.