Title-holders Ahly defeated Stade Malien of Mali 1-0 in their African contender that was played at SuezMilitary Stadium in Suezto top the CAF Confederation Cup Group A standings. Meanwhile, Zamalek, Ahly's arch-rival, ended atop Group B after their home clash on Sunday against Orlando Pirates of South Africa at Petrosport Stadium ended with Zamalek trouncing the guests 4-1.
Thus, Ahly will meet Orlando and Zamalek will take on Tunisia's Etoile Sahel, both in the semi-finals. The Egyptian teams consequently avoided meeting each other in the semi-final and have a chance to make it an all-Egyptian final.
Minister of Sports and Youth Khaled Abdel Aziz hadannounced last week that fans wouldbe allowed to watch the final two-legged matches if both Ahly and Zamalek qualify.
For security reasons, most football games in Egypt have been played behind closed doors since 2012 when 72 fans were killed in a soccer riot.
In Suez, substitute Amr Gamal, who replacedveteran Emad Meteb, scored the Ahly winner after 75 minutes.The Red Devils, who are bidding for a second consecutive Confederation Cup title, finished with 13 points from six games, on level withEtoile.
The 24-year-old striker came on as a second-half substitute and scored the winner with a simple header 15 minutes from time after Ahly had wasted numerous goal-scoring chances in a one-sided affair in Suez.
Ahly had already qualified for the semi-final before the game. They finished on levelpointswith Tunisia's Etoile Sahel who came from behind to beat fellow countrymen Esperance 2-1.
Ahly qualified as the group winners due to goal differenceof plus five to Etoile's plus three.
Stade Malien finished third with five points, two ahead of bottom side Esperance, also of Tunisia.
"Ahly arethe favourite to win the CAF Confederation Cup title,"Stade Malien's manager Kamel Djabour said after the game.“We tried to challenge themduring the game, but a few mistakes from the players caused the defeat. They were better and the players' experience had the upper hand."
Ahly created a flurry of chances in a first-half they dominated,but they were let down by some poor finishing.
Their best chance came midway through the half when a pinpoint cross from attacking midfielder Moemen Zakareya was met by a downward header from new striker Malick Evouna that struck the post.
Ahly had a goal disallowed on 30 minutes when the ball appeared to have struck the arm of Zakareya following another cross from the right while playmaker Abdullah Said had a snap shot thwarted by keeper Djigui Diarra.
Meteb, Evouna's partner upfront, was also guilty of spurning an easy chance when he broke clear but Diarra got a hand to his chip on 38 minutes, with defender Oumar Kone blocking Ramadan Sobhi on the follow-up.
Ahly firmly remained in control in the second half but squandered further chances, with Zakareya's cross-cum-shot superbly clawed away by Diarra on 66 minutes and Evouna skewing his effort wide with the goal at his mercy after neatly taking the ball past his challenger.
The breakthrough finally came on 75 minutes when Evouna flicked a free-kick into the path of Gamal who made no mistake with a close-range free header, although television replays suggested he was in an offside position.
The 22-year-old Gabonese, a burly frontman who joined Ahly in the summer, was unlucky not to turn from provider to scorer in the latter stages, with the post denying his powerful shot from a tight angle with seven minutes remaining.
Etoile finished second behind Ahly after a dramatic 2-1 triumph over arch-rivals Esperance in the Mediterranean resort of Sousse. Haythem Jouini gave Esperance a 25th-minute lead at Stade Olympique while Baghdad Bounedjah equalised. The Algerian struck again three minutes into stoppage time to make Etoile the winners and secure their place at the semi-final round. In the other final group game, Zamalek's goals were scored by Ahmed Tawfik (14), Ahmed Hassan Mekki (37), Mustafa Fathi (62) and Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim (Kahraba) (67) while the Orland Pirates' sole goal came through Oupa Manyisa on the 32nd minute.
The other game on Sunday was a goalless draw between AC Leopards of Congo and Tunisia's CS SFaxien -- neither of whom have qualified.
Zamalek finished with 15 points while the Pirates took second place with 12 points.
The 15 pointsset a new record for Egyptian clubsin Africa's two premier football club tournaments.Ahly had notched 14 in the African Champions League in 2005.
