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Al Ahly’s Mohamed Magdi scored an impressive goal with four minutes remaining to beat Cairo’s bitter rivals Zamalek 2-1 to claim the 2019-20 CAF Champions League title and extend to nine. his record for victories in Africa’s elite club competition.
The teams were tied 1-1 at the Cairo International Stadium when midfielder Magdi picked up a fumble from 30 meters, displayed clean control under pressure and volleyed into the corner of the net.
He set off wild scenes of celebration from the players, and could have been applauded by 100,000 fans at the stadium, but was instead scored in front of empty stands due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The title win is the second for Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane after the South African led the Mamelodi Sundowns to victory in 2016, when he also beat Zamalek in what was then a decisive two-legged match.
Friday’s match is the first time since the inaugural African Champions Cup final in 1965 that the final was a single game.
Ahly took an early lead when Amr Soleya headed a corner kick into the net in five minutes, rewarding for a bit of early pressure when they made a brighter start.
But Zamalek became more dominant as he advanced halfway and leveled thanks to a touch of magic from the extreme Shikabala.
He scooped the ball wide from the right, ran over three defenders and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the goal from the edge of the area.
Zamalek continued to bring the game to his rivals and was unlucky enough not to go ahead just after the hour when Ahmed Sayed’s thunderous 35-meter stride crashed into the post.
But Magdi settled the contest with her own moment of brilliance when Ahly won the title for the first time in seven years to make up for final losses in 2017 and 2018.
