CAIRO: Egyptian giants Al-Ahly shrugged off recent setbacks to outplay Angolan visitors Santos 3-0 Saturday in an African Confederation Cup qualifier.
Ahly suffered a shock loss to international rookies Kano Pillars of Nigeria in an African Champions League eliminator this month and highly successful Portuguese Manuel Jose quits in two weeks to coach Angola.
The Cairo ‘Red Devils’ are also finding the road to a fifth consecutive national title far bumpier than expected with Ismaili level on points entering the May 20 final round.
But if the star-studded Ahly squad are hurting they did not show it against inexperienced Santos, a Luanda club that won the national cup last year to earn a first African appearance.
Veteran midfielder Mohamed Abou-Trika, officially the best footballer on the continent after winning the first edition of an African Football Confederation award for home-based stars, scored once and striker Osama Hosny twice.
Ahmed Belal wasted an early Ahly chance at the 40,000-seat Military Academy Stadium in Cairo before Abou-Trika curled a trademark free kick into the Santos net midway through the opening half.
Hosny, also a veteran and recalled as Jose rested Angolan striker Flavio Amado, took advantage of superb Abou-Trika passes to score a couple of early second half goals and leave Santos with little hope for the return match.
The second leg of the fourth round tie is scheduled for Luanda over the weekend of May 29-31 and will be the last time Jose takes charge of a club he guided to four African Champions League titles in eight years.
Alexandria-based Harras Al-Hodoud are other Egyptian challengers set to reach the mini-league phase after holding Al-Ahly Tripoli 0-0 in the Libyan capital.
Another first leg to end in stalemate was the 1-1 draw between Al-Ittihad Khemisset of Morocco and Malian visitors Stade Malien, who leveled in the final minute after Said Hammouni scored an early opening goal.
Experienced African campaigners Primeiro Agosto of Angola upset defending champions CS Sfaxien of Tunisia 2-0 in Luanda through goals from Arsenio Love Cabungula and Bena.
Cotonsport Garoua of Cameroon, Entente Setif of Algeria and Kampala City Council of Uganda used home advantage to establish a 3-1 lead over Vita Club of DR Congo, Djoliba of Mali and Bayelsa United of Nigeria respectively.
The eight-match schedule will be completed Sunday in Abidjan where ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast, one of four former African champions chasing Confederation Cup glory, host Egyptian petroleum company club ENPPI.
