Three Egyptian football clubs are in round 16 of the African Champions League and Confederation Cup, reports Ahmed Morsy In a repeat of their 1986 final in the African Champions league, Africa Sport saw their continental campaign halted by five-time Egyptian winners Zamalek after the Cairo team beat them in Abidjan 5-4 on penalties after both were tied 2-0 on aggregate on Sunday. The Ivorians won the second leg match 2-0 to level the aggregate score and seemed on course to reverse a trend of failures against the Egyptians at club and national level but at the end of the day the former African champions upset them on Ivorian home ground. Thanks to a brace from Jean Michael Seri from the spot in the 43rd and 66th minutes, Africa Sport erased a 2-0 loss in the first leg. Though the Egyptian giants were overly cautious at the back and relied on counter-attacks, they went close to scoring an early opener but the effort of Mahmoud Abdel-Razeq "Shikabala" was easily blocked by the keeper. Zamalek's goalkeeper Mohamed Abdel-Monsef was tested on several occasions and made some brilliant saves especially in the 41st minute when he stretched to deny a well-placed free kick. Africa Sport were rewarded by the referee who whistled a dubious penalty just seconds before the break. Sari put his team ahead and boosted their hopes for a miraculous comeback. Twenty-three minutes into the second half, Zamalek were confronted with their worst nightmare as Mahmoud Fathallah was whistled for a handball in the area. And again specialist Sari scored from the spot to double his team's advantage. Mobulie could have snatched a deadly winner in the dying minutes when he got past Abdel-Monsef but failed to control the ball, allowing Amr El-Safti to make a fine tackle. In the shoot-out, Fathallah, Ahmed Magdi, Mohamed Abdullah, Sherif Ashraf and Abdel-Halim Ali registered a perfect record for Zamalek while Tayoro Adou hit the post to keep Zamalek in the hunt for the $1 million in prize money. Africa Sports captain Djedjed Landri in a post match interview attributed the loss to the inability of his inexperienced team to convert the scoring chances that came their way. "We failed to play according to the instructions of the coach, hence suffered the loss. I'm not shocked by our exit because we embarked on this campaign with a very young team." Dutch Ruud Kroll, coach of Zamalek, said his team deserved the qualification after Africa Sport failed to make the better of the numerous scoring chances that came their way. "I believe we deserve the victory. Africa Sport had every chance to win but failed to seize it," said the Dutchman who insisted he was optimistic of qualification even when they were two goals down. Zamalek will now clash with the Angolan's InterClube in the round of 16 on 25-27 April in Cairo after InterClube qualified 2-2 on aggregate against Sporting Club Praia. Ahli, who share the record of five titles with fellow Egyptians Zamalek, had advanced to the Champions League round of 16 after Eritrean opponents Al-Tahrir withdrew from the competition. As a result, the South African club Platinum Stars will host Ahli in the first leg match of the round of 16 on 25-27 April after Platinum qualified after winning 3-1 on aggregate against Stade Tamponnaise. Elsewhere, holders Etoile du Sahel cruised to the third round of the same championship despite a 3-0 loss to Senegalese side AS Doaunes in Dakar during the second leg clash of the first round over the weekend. The defending champions were cruising to a 5- 0 win on aggregate till the 83rd minute mark when Douanes scored thrice but still fell short of giving them the push to the next stage. ASEC Mimosas, winners in 1998, beat Guinean champions AS Kaloum 1-0 in a heated encounter in the 28 September Stadium in Conakry courtesy of Deble Serges's 85th minute strike. The result saw ASEC progress on a 2-1 aggregate after being held 1-1 by the Guinean champions a fortnight ago during the first leg in Abidjan. Two-time winners Enyimba sailed into the third round of the Champions League after defeating Simba of Tanzania 3-1 in Dar es Salaam on Sunday. The Nigerians qualified 7-1 on aggregate following a 4-0 first leg win two weeks ago. In Obuasi, Algerian champions JS Kabylie held Ashantigold to a 0-0 draw at the Len Clay Stadium in a game dominated by the Algerians, to progress on a 3-0 aggregate. Ashantigold, losing finalists in the maiden edition of the new format in 1997, wasted a series of chances including a second half penalty by defensive midfielder Mubarak Wakasoo. Elsewhere in Tunis, 1991 African champions Club Africain routed Togolese giant killers ASKO Kara 4-0 to reconfirm their participation in continental club championship after a decade absence by winning 4-2 on aggregate. At Curepipe, Mamelodi Sundowns maintained the quest for their first ever Champions League title with a lone goal victory over Starlight of Mauritius. Zimbabwean veteran Peter Ndlovu scored the only goal of the match after 32 minutes to give his side a 4-0 win on aggregate. Last year's semi-finalists Al-Ittihad of Libya cruised to the third round despite losing 2-1 to Primeiro Agosto in Angola. Since Ittihad won the first leg 1-0 they go through on the away goals rule. In the fifth edition of the Confederation Cup, the second-tier African club knockout competition, Haras Al-Hedoud of Egypt qualified to the round of 16 after a lone goal victory over Mouloudia Alger of Algeria in Alexandria on Friday. Mohamed El-Herda 17th minute strike was enough to give the Coast Guards a 1-0 aggregate win after a 0-0 first leg tie. Although it was a bad weekend for Ivorian football as their two representatives in the Confederation Cup, Issia Wazi and Entente Bingerville, failed to progress to the next stage after suffering defeats, Cameroon remained the only country with two teams in the 1/16th stage of the $300, 000 prize competition, Astres Douala and Mount Cameroon. In Bejaia, holders CS Sfaxien survived an early scare from Algerian hosts JSM Bejaia to draw 1-1 and advance on a 2-1 aggregate. Former African champions Esperance of Tunisia cut short the continental ambitions of Moroccan minnows Rachad Bernoussi by beating them 2-0 to qualify on the away goal rule after the two legs were tied at 3-3. Asante Kotoko cruise to a 4-1 victory over Wikki Tourists of Nigeria, Kotoko going through 6-3 on aggregate after a 2-2 draw from the first leg in Bauchi a fortnight ago. In the Egyptian domestic league, the 22nd week, played on Friday and Saturday, was full of draws. Misri drew 1-1 with Arab Contractors, Baladayet Mehalla drew 2-2 with Aluminium and Al-Gaish registered a goalless draw with Tersana. On Saturday, Ahli's 12-match winning streak came to an end after they surrendered their lead to allow Telecom Egypt to snatch a precious 1-1 draw. Defender Emad El-Nahhas headed Ahli in front early in the game but substitute Nasser Hassanein secured a share of the spoils eight minutes from time. Ittihad drew 1-1 with Ismaili. Enppi defeated slumping Petrojet 2-0 for the only win of the week.
