Hussein Dey Deny Zamalek To Displace Gor Mahia From Group D Summit

14th February 2019 - by SPN Correspondent

Algerian visitors force 1-1 draw in Cairo to leave Egyptian giants on the brink of CAF Confederations Cup elimination

Swiss head coach of Egypt's Zamalek, Christian Gross reacts during CAF Confereration cup match against Kenya's Gor Mahia at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya, on Februrary 3, 2019. Kenya's Gor Mahia won by 4-2 against Egypt's Zamalek. PHOTO/AFP

SUMMARY

Zamalek, the group favourites and Egyptian premier league leaders are in danger of missing out on the quarters of the second tier continental competition after remaining rooted at the bottom with only a point from two games
Under fierce stoppage-time pressure in Mediterranean city Sfax, Enugu conceded two corners and a Hani Amamou shot rebounded off the crossbar after the second
Off-form trophy-holders Raja Casablanca of Morocco were surprisingly held to a 0-0 draw in Rabat by Congo Brazzaville visitors AS Otoho Oyo

NAIROBI, Kenya- Algerian visitors NA Hussein Dey snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw against hosts Zamalek on Wednesday night to displace SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions, Gor Mahia FC from the summit of Group D in second round action of the 2018/19 CAF Confederations Cup.

Recent Moroccan signing Khalid Boutaib put five-time African champions Zamalek in front with a headed goal after 14 minutes at the Borg el Arab Stadium but the White Knights failed to net again and were floored by a last-minute sucker punch as Faouzi Yaya equalised for first-time group qualifiers Hussein Dey.

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The result left the Algerian top on four points, with Gor holding on to second place on goal difference from Petro Atletico de Luanda despite the Kenyan giants going down 1-2 at the November 11 stadium in the earlier contest.

Zamalek, the group favourites and Egyptian premier league leaders are in danger of missing out on the quarters of the second tier continental competition after remaining rooted at the bottom with only a point from two games following their stunning 2-4 defeat to Gor in the opening round.

Gor next host the Group D frontrunners, Hussein Dey in Nairobi Sunday week (February 24) seeking to overhaul the Algerian side from the top as the White Knights travel to Angola where defeat will all but knock them out of competition.

A Nicholas Kipkirui strike in the first minute of added time halved the deficit for the SPL titleholders after Petro raced to a 2-0 lead in the first half with goals from Manquzi Quiberto and Brazilian Toni Rosa Ribiero.

Elsewhere, the woodwork helped Nigerian club Enugu Rangers preserve the last unbeaten record in the CAF Confederation Cup as they drew 1-1 with CS Sfaxien in Tunisia on Wednesday.

Under fierce stoppage-time pressure in Mediterranean city Sfax, Enugu conceded two corners and a Hani Amamou shot rebounded off the crossbar after the second.

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Reflex save

Almost immediately, Rangers goalkeeper Nana Bonsu made a great reflex save from Ali Marzouki as the hosts chased maximum points in the Group C top-of-the-table matchday 2 showdown.

Defeat would have been a cruel blow for the Nigerians, though, as they matched the home team and levelled just two minutes after falling behind during the second half.

Marzouki claimed his fourth goal of the CAF season by punishing slack marking to climb highest and nod a cross wide of Bonsu and into the corner of the net on 71 minutes.

Rangers equalised when Sfaxien goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen could only parry a Bobby Clement header off a free-kick and Senegalese Pape Ousmane Sane banged the loose ball into the net.

Stalemate in the major matchday 2 attraction in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League left the top of the table unchanged.

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Enugu and Sfaxien have four points each with the Nigerians first on goal difference. Rivals Etoile Sahel of Tunisia and Salitas of Burkina Faso have one point each.

Sfaxien have won the Confederation Cup a record three times while the lone African success of Enugu came in the now defunct African Cup Winners Cup 42 yeas ago.

Salitas, who stunned 2018 semi-finalists Al Masry of Egypt in a qualifier, could only draw 0-0 at home to Etoile, who appear the only serious threat to Enugu and Sfaxien.

Group winners and runners-up after six matchdays advance to the quarter-finals of the secondary African club competition with a $1.25 million (1.1 mn euro) first prize.

Renaissance Berkane went top of Group A with a come-from-behind 2-1 home victory over fellow Moroccans Hassania Agadir in the northeast of the kingdom.

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Burkina Faso stars Alain Traore and Issoufou Dayo netted for Berkane after Ayoub el Mallouki put Agadir ahead in first-half stoppage time thanks to his fourth goal of the competition.

Off-form trophy-holders Raja Casablanca of Morocco were surprisingly held to a 0-0 draw in Rabat by Congo Brazzaville visitors AS Otoho Oyo.

Berkane have four points, six-time CAF title winners Raja and Otoho two each and Agadir one in a section hard to call after just two rounds.

-Material from AFP used to compile this report