Five-time winners, Zamalek, started the winning streak by drawing goalless 0-0 in a tough match in Luanda against Angolan champions, Kabuscorp, after managing a lone goal win in the first leg to win 1-0 on aggregate. Zamalek players were up to the challenge, playing on the defensive to come out with the least loss they can. Zamalek's technical manager, Ahmed Hossam, nicknamed “Mido,” kept his promise to the White Knights and Zamalkawia, to qualify to the 16th round in spite of the strong opponent they faced. “We played to win in Angola. Kabuscorp were under pressure to score from the start, so we made use of their tense mode and closed our defense line. My players were up to the challenge as usual. I think our way to the final will be an easy one, especially after excluding a big team as Kabuscorp,” Mido said after the match. Meanwhile, Ahli were able to beat the Young Africans of Tanzania 1-0 in their second leg match to draw 1-1, resorting to penalty kicks in which Ahli players had the upper hand, finishing the match in their favour 4-3 to qualify to the 16th round of the competition. Ahli fans and Ultras held their breath as the Red Castle played their penalty kicks to secure a place in the coming round. The players were fully aware that this was their golden chance and Sherif Ikrami, Ahli's goalkeeper, starred as he was able to block two penalty shots from the Young Africans' players. Mohamed Youssef, Ahli's coach was extremely happy with the result, “At last we were able to cruise safely to the 16th round and keep our chances of competing on the title again,” he said. “I am satisfied with the team's performance and I hope we will be able to advance easily.” In a big surprise, the Wadi Degla club, newly formed in 2002, were able to crush their visitors AS Douanes Lomée 2-0 in their second leg match to qualify to the 16th round of the competition for the first time in their history. The two sides battled to a 1-1 in the first leg. Renowned Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadari played a pivotal role in the first leg by securing Wadi Degla's victory abroad in West Africa and here in Egypt. Degla manager, Hisham Zakaria, said that the 41-year old goalkeeper's experience was a great asset in their first continental experience. “We went to the game with our eyes set on victory and we did it. The players were great and insistent to win. AS Dounaes were a well-experienced and a tough opponent but we were up to the challenge,” Zakaria said. The Wadi Degla goals came through Mohamed Ahmed and Abdul Fattah El-Agha. After drawing goalless in their first leg match, Ismaili resorted to penalty kicks against their opponents MK Etancheite, which Ismaili won 4- 3 in their respective Confederations Cup second leg. Ismaili, who drew 0-0 away at MK Etancheite in the DRC avenged themselves in Ismailia, their homeland. As their Brazilian coach Heron Ricardo commented, “We had a good game and I'm satisfied with the victory.” Ismaili's coach had led the club to second spot in the Egyptian top flight in 2009 and reached the group stage of the 2010 CAF Champions League. He thanked the Ismaili fans for abiding by police rules banning entry to the match and for their cooperation that helped the team to qualify. Ismaili and Degla are the Egyptian favourites in the Confederation Cup. High hopes lie on their shoulders as no Egyptian team has ever won the Confederations Cup, even though Egyptian clubs dominated 14 CAF League championships. Ismaili's had a sole golden chance to win the title back in 2000 when they reached the final, only to lose on away goals against Algeria's JS Kabylie. Nigerian giants, Enyimba, won by a lone goal against Malian AS Real in Bamako but it was little enough to see them through. The Malians, 2-1 winners in the previous fixture in Aba, advanced on the away goal rule after a 2-2 tie. Zambian champions, Nkana, overcame Kampala City Council with a shocking 2-1 to win through 4-3 on aggregate. Elsewhere in Maputo, Kaizer Chiefs overcame Liga Muculmana 3-0 to go through 7-0 on aggregate. Moroccan club, Raja Casablanca, were knocked out of the CAF Champions League just three months after finishing as runners-up in the FIFA Club World Cup. The three-time African champions defeated Guinean visitors Horoya 1-0, but the match leveled to 1-1and Horoya won the penalty shots 5-4.
