Zamalek, four-time African champions, crushed Chad's Gazelle FC 7-0 at the start of the preliminary round of the African Champions League. Abdullah Cisse and Ahmed Gaafar each scored a brace for the Egyptian club while captain and all-time international caps leader Ahmed Hassan had a goal. Zamalek, led by new Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira, has also gotten off to a flying start in the domestic league, winning their first three games, a season starter the club has not enjoyed for the past 10 years. “The main reason for the team's victory was that Vieira gave the players the freedom to go back and forth easily with no restrictions,” Mohamed Ibrahim, one of Zamalek's premier youth players, said. Vieira stunningly led Iraq to the 2007 Asian Cup title. “I am very happy that I was one of the participants in the match,” said Gaafar. “I am very optimistic about this year's competition as the team looks completely different. We did our best and this will make our trip to Chad much easier.” Zamalek's problem before the match was that they knew very little about Gazelle. The mystery forced Zamalek to play with caution but soon, after it was determined the opposition was little match for Zamalek, a team with a much longer and distinguished history, the Egyptian team threw caution to the wind after ending the half 2-0. Gazelle is one of the best teams in Chad, comprising seven national team players but their coach was realistic enough to tell his players before the match that they would find it difficult to beat Zamalek, voted the second best club in African history in the 20th century. Zamalek's early success must be attributed in large part to Sunday's game had 5,000 fans watching from the stands, as opposed to league games which are played behind closed doors as a security precaution. The goals set a new continental record for Zamalek. Some near parallel results in African history were Zamalek crushing Rwanda's Army 6-0 in 2002 when star Hazem Emam scored twice while Hossam Hassan, Gamal Hamza, Mohamed Sabri and Mohamed Abdel-Wahed each scored. The same score was repeated in the now defunct African Cup of Cups in 1976 when Zamalek crushed Ethiopian Army 6-0. Ali Khalil scored two goals, Taha Basri two and one goal apiece from Hassan Shehata and Wahi Kamel. Meanwhile, FIFA has rejected a request from Zamalek that their star Mahmoud Abdel-Razek, nicknamed Shikabala, be included on the roster of African games after Shikabala terminated his contarct with El Wasl of the United Arab Emirates. According to cafonline.com, other results were as follows: Zimbabwean Takesure Chinyama bagged four as 1995 champions Pirates triumphed 5-0 in Soweto against the semi-professionals and students of Kano Pillars, semi-finalists four years ago. Kano Pillars of Nigeria whacked Central African Republic's Olympique Real Bangui 5-1 in Kano. Primeiro were cruising with a three-goal advantage at home to Malagasy outfit Adema in Luanda before being rocked by two goals, but Kabamba secured a 4-2 victory with a goal on 80 minutes. Pillars, semi-finalists four years ago, were almost as ruthless with a 5-1 whipping of Central African Republic visitors Olympique Real Bangui in Kano. David Ochieng was another goal poacher to score twice in a preliminary round, first leg tie as Tusker came from behind on the Indian Ocean island nation of the Seychelles to win 4-1 against Saint Michel United. Saint George of Ethiopia triumphed 3-0 away to Jamhuri of Zanzibar, Zanaco of Zambia edged Mbabane Swallows of Swaziland 3-2 at home and debutants Moghreb Tetouan of Morocco took a 1-0 lead over Senegalese visitors Casa Sport. Saint George of Ethiopia triumphed 3-0 away to Jamhuri of Zanzibar, Zanaco of Zambia edged Mbabane Swallows of Swaziland 3-2 at home and debutants Moghreb Tetouan of Morocco took a 1-0 lead over Senegalese visitors Casa Sport. Zanaco battled with close-season rustiness as they twice led Swallows by two goals only to be pegged back with Tony Tsabedze grabbing a potentially crucial second for the Swazis after good work by substitute Darren Christie. Ghana champions Asante Kotoko took a giant leap towards a place at the next round of the 2013 Orange CAF Champions League courtesy of a 7-0 win over Sony Ela Nguema of Equatorial Guinea on Sunday in Kumasi. Moroccan club FUS Rabat secured a 1-0 home victory over Real Banjul of Gambia. The return of Tunisian outfit CA Bizertin to the premier pan-African club competition after 28 years was spoilt by Libyan visitors Al-Ittihad, who came from behind to force a 1-1 draw in Tunis. JSM Bejaia of Algeria sealed a 3-0 win over Nigeria's Olympic.
