CAIRO: Hilal coach Campos stated that Ismaili lucked out in Sunday’s CAF Champions League clash in Sudan.
The Dervishes clinched a 1-0 victory in the round of 16, thanks to skipper Mohamed Hommos’ follow-up effort.
Hilal keeper Moaz Mahgoub tipped a superb free-kick from Ahmed Samir Farag onto the post and the ball fell to Hommos, who headed into an empty net.
Brazilian coach Campos insinuated that Ismaili didn’t deserve to win the game, saying the coastal club’s playing style was obsolete.
"They were really lucky to score a win by capitalizing on a goalkeeping blunder," he told the post-match press conference, according to Sudanese paper Koon.
"Hilal put in a good performance and didn’t win, while Ismaili’s playing style was similar to the English one in the 1980s."
Ismaili plotted a zone-defense strategy in the second half and depended on the counter attack.
"The result really makes me sad. It doesn’t reflect both teams’ displays by any means," he added.
"We carved out four clear-cut opportunities, they were more than enough for us to record a deserved win."
On the other hand, Ismaili coach Emad Soliman vowed to lead his men to the Champions League group stage.
"We still have the return leg in Ismailia but I promise our fans that we will go through," he said.
Ismaili became the only Egyptian side to emerge winners from this week’s African ties.
Six-time African champions Ahly were handed a 2-0 defeat at Libya’s Ittihad in the Champions League on Friday.
Harras Hodoud slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Tanzania’s Simba and Petrojet were held by Tunisian team Sfaxien to a 1-1 home draw in the Confederation Cup on Sunday.
