Ahli, Africa's reigning champions, drew goalless with Ghana's Asante Kotoko in the Champions League, writes Abeer Anwar Despite the absence of a number of their stars due to injury, Ahli drew away 0-0 with Asante Kotoko of Ghana. Tunisia's CS Sfaxien moved to the top of Group A in the African Champions League with a 1-0 away at JS Kabylie in neighbouring Algeria. Substitute Hamza Younes grabbed a surprise 76th- minute winner for Sfaxien to record a second triumph in three group matches for the only team in the eight-team Champions League group phase who have not previously won Africa's top club prize. At the halfway stage of the group stages Sfaxien are top of the group with six points, Kotoko and Ahli both have four points while Kabylie are bottom with three points. "I am satisfied with the result and the players' performance especially in such circumstances and I am sure we will be able to make up for the draw in our coming match in Cairo," Ahli coach Manuel Jose said. In humid conditions Ahli's Flavio had a golden chance to score for his team in stoppage time but the ball refused to enter the Ghanaians' net. A great club rivalry was thus resumed Sunday when Asante Kotoko hosted Ahli. The 'Porcupine Warriors' of Kumasi and the 'Red Devils' of Cairo had clashed twice in the final of the African Champions League and once in the semi-finals with the Egyptians holding the edge. Ahli triumphed 4-1 on aggregate in the 1982 decider after building a three-goal first-leg lead only to lose the next final 1-0 before bouncing back with a 2-1 victory en route to the 1987 title. While Ahli lifted the symbol of African club supremacy again in 2001 and last year to move within one success of record five-time champions and Cairo neighbours Zamalek, Kotoko have enjoyed little success. A 1993 Champions League final loss to Zamalek and a 2004 African Confederation Cup final defeat by compatriots Hearts of Oak are the closest they have come. But a thrilling 4-2 triumph over Tunisian visitors Club Sportif Sfaxien two weeks ago propelled the 'Porcupines' to the top of Group A. Ahli's draw was the second successive goalless draw in the Champions League at the weekend after South Africa's Orlando Pirates were held by Ghana's Hearts of Oak in a Group B match in Johannesburg on Saturday. Also in Group B, Asec of the Ivory Coast scored three second-half goals to beat visiting Enyimba of Nigeria. Midfielder Didier Ya Konan led the goal scorers of the competition with his sixth strike of the year to put Asec into the lead in the 66th minute. That goal was followed two minutes later by a second from defender Bakary Soro. Substitute Emmanuel Umoh added a third five minutes from the end. Asec now top the group with seven points from three games while Enyimba are second three points behind the Ivorians. Group winners and runners-up after a double-round mini-league qualify for the semi-finals. The eventual champion receives $1 million plus an invitation to play in the FIFA club world championship in Japan in December.
