After last week's first-leg goalless draw against Guinean champions Horoya in Conakry, Ahly of Egypt thrashed Horoya 4-0 in the return leg to advance to the semi-finals of the African Champions League. At the same time, another Egyptian outfit, Masri also reached the semi-final of the African Confederation Cup with a 1-0 victory away to USM Alger of Algeria, having won at home by the same score. In Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo on Saturday night, Walid Suleiman opened the scoring for Ahly in the 33rd minute but his team had to hold their breath until the second half to ensure that Ahly advanced to the semis with three unanswered goals from Islam Mohareb, Salah Mohsen and Ahmed Fathi. Ahly were last year's finalists in the Champions League and are bidding for a record-extending ninth title. The club has been hit by a series of injuries, forcing first-year French coach Patrice Carteron to make several alterations. Around 20,000 supporters packed Al-Salam Stadium, a pleasant change from the usual empty seats during Egyptian league matches for security reasons. Ahly will now face two-time winners ES Setif of Algeria in the semis. The first leg is on Tuesday 2 October in Egypt. “We learnt the lesson well after seeing favourites like TP Mazembe and Wydad bowing out,” Carteron said in post-match comments. “We're thrilled to reach the semi-finals. Horoya is a good team but we were the better side and deserved to win. Yes, we had many absentees but this didn't bother me because anyone who plays does his job well. This year's Champions League is different, and we are determined to win the title. I'd like to thank our supporters who are our No 1 weapon.” “We reached this stage for the first time ever, and we had the dream to be in the last four, but we faced a highly experienced and strong team, Ahly,” Horoya Head Coach Victor Zvonka said. “Their second goal killed the game. Ahly have many experienced and international players, while our side depends on young inexperienced players. It's a tough defeat considering what we did this year, but I congratulate Ahly for their victory. It was well deserved.” The other CAF Champions League quarter-final matches witnessed surprises as Setif dumped title-holders Wydad Casablanca of Morocco out of the competition by forcing a 0-0 second-leg draw in Casablanca to win 1-0 on aggregate. Cabaca saved two penalties within four minutes as Primeiro of Angola came from behind to draw 1-1 with TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Lubumbashi and advance on away goals. The first match between the clubs ended 0-0 last weekend, supposedly leaving five-time champions Mazembe hot favourites to reach the last four. Esperance scored late through Ivory Coast-born Fousseny Coulibaly to edge home side Etoile Sahel 1-0 in an all-Tunisia showdown in Sousse and qualify 3-1 on aggregate.Primeiro face Esperance in the semi-finals on 2 October. In Africa's second-tier club competition, the Confederation Cup, Egypt's Masri reached the semi-final with an unbeaten run of 12 matches. Masri will now face Vita Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo on 3 October in Egypt in the first leg. Vita grabbed a 1-1 draw at Renaissance Berkane of Morocco on Sunday for a 4-2 overall triumph. Neither team has ever gone this far in the Confederations Cup. Masri's Mahmoud Wadi was the man of the matches, scoring in both legs against USM. Success was Masry's keyword as they lost only one match throughout their path to the semis, with five draws. Masri is coached by former Ahly star Hossam Hassan. “We have done all we can do. My players are determined to win the trophy and they will do the impossible to reach their target.” Wadi netted the winner in the first leg which gave Masri a 1-0 victory at USM Alger and a place in the Confederation Cup semi-final on Sunday. The Palestinian striker netted the decisive goal on 34 minutes to silence an enthusiastic home crowd and leave the visitors needing three goals without reply to book a last-four berth. The Port Said-based club qualified for the last four with a 2-0 aggregate win, setting up a meeting with Congolese Vita Club. Masry have never won any continental titles. They reached the semi-finals of the defunct African Cup Winners' Cup and CAF Cup in 1999 and 2002 respectively.
