How Simba faltered in Egypt

Egypt’s Al Ahly have put one foot in the quarter-finals of the Caf Champions League following their convincing win against Mainland giants Simba on Saturday.

Al Ahly scored five goals in 39 minutes in Alexandria on Saturday to remain unruffled at the top of Group D as the mini league stage reached the halfway mark.

Despite being hit by a series of injuries to no less than 11 key players, Ahly produced an outstanding first half performance to score all five goals in the opening 40 minutes.

The record eight time champions top Group D with seven points, three clear of second placed AS Vita of DR Congo.

Simba, who also crashed to a defeat of similar margin (5-0) to AS Vita in Kinshasa two or so weeks ago, have three points and Algeria’s JS Saoura on two points in that order.

Ahly needed just 130 seconds to break the deadlock. A corner kick from Ali Maaloul found Hussein Elshahhat whose cross was met by Amro Elsoleya’s header for the opener.

Maaloul thought he had doubled Ahly’s lead after 15 minutes but his free-kick kissed the side net. Nigerian-import Junior Ajayi produced a beautiful back-heel kick that was saved by the visitor’s goalkeeper Aishi Manula.

Maaloul scored Ahly’s second after 23 minutes, finishing a brilliant group play that saw him scoring after Nasser Maher’s through pass.

The Tunisian left back later turned from scorer to provider when he sent a calling cross that found Ajayi to make it 3-0 at the half hour mark.

And just four minutes later Karim “Nedved” added his name to the scorers list when he finished Elshahhat’s cross to score Ahly’s fourth.

Nedved returned on 39 minutes to complete his personal brace while Elshahhat completed his hat-trick of assists as the Red Devils went into the break leading 5-0.