Ahli added a new continental title after capturing a record-equalling third African Super Cup. Abeer Anwar reports Ahli retained their African Super Cup title for the second year running and their third such championship overall after edging Tunisia's Etoile Sahel 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out in Addis Ababa after a dour goalless draw at the end of extra-time. The win gave Ahli 99 major football club trophies as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. An expected win of the domestic league, of which Ahli lead by 11 points with nine games left, would make it 100 out of 100. Ahli's third Super Cup win tied them with local rivals Zamalek for the most titles of the one- game annual playoff that pits the holders of the African Champions League and the African Confederation Cup. Ahli and Zamalek also have five African Champion league titles apiece, again the most on the continent. The African Super Cup is traditionally played at the home venue of the preceding year's Champions League winners but was moved to neutral Addis Ababa as part of the Confederation of African Football's 50th anniversary celebrations. The match, which attracted a 10,000 crowd, was a dull affair with few clear-cut chances by either side. The lack of oxygen in the rarefied atmosphere of Addis, which is around 3,000 metres above sea level, and the bumpy, dry playing field affected the performance of both teams. Ahli's penalty takers were perfect. Shadi Mohamed, Flavio, Emad Metab, Ahmed Hassan and Emad El-Nahhas made no mistake. Ahli goalkeeper Essam El-Hadari, star penalty saver in last year's African Cup of Nations and African Super Cup against FAR of Morocco, repeated the heroics on Sunday by parrying a blast by Khaled Melliti. It is also the 11th Ahli trophy won by their Portuguese coach Manuel Jose, making him one of Ahli's most successful managers. "It was a dramatic match," Jose said. "I and the players did our best to avoid penalties but it was impossible." He said penalty kicks in general depended to a great extent on luck and the player shooting. He also praised El-Hadari's performance. "It was due to him that the team was able to keep the title." "It is not only a club achievement but part of Egypt's achievements in football," Samir Zaher, head of the Egyptian Football Federation, said. "This will also help the national football team since Ahli players form the largest part of the team," he added. Ahli board member Yassin Mansour increased the prize money for each player from LE40,000 to LE100,000. Mansour made up the difference with his own money. "The players exerted their utmost effort," Mansour said. "They deserve even more than this. "Ahli's achievement was a result of number of things on top of which is a good administration. All have helped, from the security at the club's gates to the players." President Mubarak sent a telegram of congratulations to Ahli. His son Alaa also congratulated the club by phone as did Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif. Fawzi Banazerti, Etoile Sahel manager, conceded his players were less experienced than Ahli. His club, he said, included a number of new faces playing for the first time. Banazerti congratulated Ahli for what he called a deserved victory.
