A hole dug deep

Ahli painted themselves into a corner after a scoreless draw in the African Champions League semi-final. Abeer Anwar writes on the tall order ahead
Esperance of Tunisia are poised for a third consecutive African Champions League final appearance after forcing a 0-0 draw with Ahli of Egypt on Sunday. The tie now forces Ahli into a must-win situation in the second-leg, to be played in Tunis in two weeks.
The first leg of the semi-final followed a predictable line with the Cairo Red Devils applying virtually all the pressure while the Tunis Blood and Gold soaked it up with calm authority.
Ahli deserved to win by at least a goal but when they did break through, luck deserted them at a well-populated Cairo Stadium on a humid, misty evening.
Alaa Ibrahim created enough space in one golden opportunity in the first half but the shot went just wide. Ahli's Wael Riad had his curler saved in the 35th minute and the rebound eluded Nigerian Sunday Ibeji.
It seemed as if the Devils would score late in the second half but Ibrahim Said and Ibeji hit the woodwork and Mohamed Zouabi made superb reflex saves from Ibeji and Ibrahim, all within 10 seconds.
It was a wonderful piece of goal- mouth drama with 12 minutes left and was the culmination of the most successful period of the match for 1982 and 1987 champions Ahli, who displayed more pace in the second half after a drab, slow opening half.
Later, Zouabi did well to foil Hussein Riad after a defence-splitting pass by substitute Walid Salaheddin. Then another replacement, Khaled Bebo, was let down by his first touch with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Ahli goalkeeper Essam El-Hadari was a virtual spectator as the visitors never seriously threatened to score, but is likely to be much busier at Al-Menzah Stadium in two weeks. He was forced to stretch late in the first half for a free kick which he parried well.
Esperance lost a penalty shootout to Raja Casablanca of Morocco in the 1999 decider after two 0-0 draws and were surprisingly beaten at home and away by Hearts of Oak of Ghana to lose 5-2 on aggregate last year.
Ahli and Esperance fought two goalless draws when they clashed in the second round of the competition 11 years ago and it is unlikely that there will be many goals in Tunis on 17 November.
Ahli coach Manuel Jose said he still had hopes of reaching the final. "The players did their best but we were unlucky," he said following the game.
Esperance coach Ali Fergani said his team would leave Cairo with what they wanted. "It will be very difficult for Ahli to win in Tunisia," Fergani boldly predicted. He added, however, that he was surprised by the high standard of play Ahli produced after hearing so much about their troubles this season. "I saw a different Ahli from the one I heard about. They are very organised and the players are in shape."
In the other semi-final, Sundowns of South Africa staked a strong claim to the other final berth after beating Petro Atletico of Angola 2-0 in Pretoria on Saturday. Carlo Scott scored after 36 minutes and Captain Daniel Mudau scored in the final minute.
Veteran Mudau rose at the far post to head a Simba Marumo cross past Luis 'Lama' Joao and give the Pretoria club a defendable lead for the return match at the Citadela Stadium in Luanda on 18 November.
Carlo Scott put Sundowns ahead , rounding Luis Delgado inside the penalty area before sending Joao the wrong way with a sizzling shot at sun-drenched Loftus Versfeld.
Sundowns would have won more comfortably but for some timid finishing and a series of excellent saves by Joao, a member of the Angolan team that won the African youth championship this year.
Petro entered the match with an awesome away record in the competition -- including a sensational 4-2 victory over Ahli in Egypt -- and three of the leading five Champions League scorers.
But apart from an early near-miss by top marksman Flavio da Silva and a few late first-half crosses that spread panic in the Sundowns defence, they failed to match expectations. They were also lucky to finish with 11 men as defender Dias Caires escaped with a caution from Seychelles referee Eddy Maillet for a foul on Maromo when he should have been sent off.
The winners of both semi-finals clash in a two-leg decider in December for $1 million in prize money.
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