LAGOS: Nigeria’s Enyimba and Al Ahly of Egypt played out a goalless draw in the first leg semi-final of the CAF Champions League decided in Aba, southeast Nigeria, Sunday.
This was the first draw Enyimba have recorded at home in this year’s campaign.
It was a clash with very few chances as Ahly played a very defensive game while Enyimba never really got going even with the competition’s leading scorer Stephen Worgu spearheading their attack.
The second half produced far more chances with arguably the best falling to the home team when with six minutes to the end of the encounter substitute Emeka Akueme misdirected his free header inside the six-yard box with the Egyptian defense well beaten.
Ahly’s best chance to win the game came in the 78th minute when Mohamed Abou-Trika got to the end of a faulty back pass by Chinedu Ezimorah inside the eighteen but goalkeeper Sani Haliru kept his cool to save.
After a scoreless first 45 minutes, Enyimba introduced Daddy Bazuaye and Samuel Chukwudi and this appeared to bring some life into the attack of the Nigerian club as Ahly preferred to sit back in their defense and launch counter attacks.
In the 62nd minute former youth international John Owoeri let fly a low shot from outside the box but goalkeeper Amir Abdelhamid went down to make an easy save.
The first half was a rather dull affair with very few highlights to report as both teams struggled to come to terms with a poor Enyimba International Stadium pitch, whose condition has been worsened by the frequent rains in Aba.
Ahly started out brightly, taking the game to the host team, who appeared cautious and took a little longer to settle into the game. Enyimba battled to find their rhythm while the Egyptians combined beautifully in a midfield that boasted Ahmed Hassan, Mohamed Barakat and Angola international Gilberto.
Ten minutes into the match young defender Monday Osagie raced unmarked into the Ahly’s box only to blast his effort well off target.
Five minutes later Aboutrika’s goal-bound shot from inside the Enyimba vital area was headed out of danger to the huge relief of the 20,000-strong crowd in attendance.
Enyimba soaked up the pressure and as the game wore on they pushed the Egyptian champions back into their area but hardly troubled Abdel-Hamid in the Ahly goal as the visitors’ defense led by skipper Shady Mohamed kept out 13-goal Worgu. -AFP
