Egypt's Zamalek equaled a club record of the biggest African win after kicking off their Champions League campaign with a 7-0 hammering of Somalia's Dekedaha in the first leg of the preliminary round on Friday. Moroccan forward Achraf Bencharki, who joined from Saudi club Saudi club Al-Hilal in the summer, marked his debut with a double salvo and there were also goals for new faces Karim Bambo and Mostafa Mohamed. The Cairo giants, who are eyeing their first Champions League title since 2002, also crushed Chad duo Gazelle and CotonTchad 7-0 in 2013 and 2018 respectively. Although the match was played at Alexandria's Borg El-Arab Stadium, it was Zamalek's away fixture as both sides agreed to play both legs in the Mediterranean city. Goalkeeper Mohamed Awad made his debut while veteran winger Mahmoud Shikabala and left-back Mohamed Abdel-Shafi made their first appearances after returning to the club where they made their name. Shikabala and Tunisian right-back Hamdi Nagguez combined to devastating effect as Zamalek tore their helpless opponents to shreds. The goal fest started as early as the fifth minute, Bencharki's penalty going into the bottom corner although goalkeeper Mostafa Hussein got a hand to it. In the 29th minute, a cross from Bencharki was turned into his own net by Molly Severin and lone striker Omar El-Said made it 3-0 on the stroke of halftime, stabbing a low cross from the lively Shikabala into an empty net. Zamalek scored four more goals in the second half, with keeper Hussein giving them a great helping hand. Central defender Mahmoud Hamdi converted an inviting low cross from Shikabala early in the second half and Bencharki's low shot squirmed beneath the keeper and into the net shortly after. It was then the turn of substitutes to find the net, with new recruit Karim Bambo, who was introduced in the second half, sending a low shot home from 20 yards and striker Mostafa Mohamed, back from a loan spell with Talae El-Geish, running onto a through ball from Bencharki to find the far bottom corner with an angled shot. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
