by Ekow on Mon Jul 16, 2012 5:32 pm
CAF Confederations Cup
Al Ahly Shandy make history and send CotonSport out.
07-16-2012
Subject : Al Ahly Shandy make history and send CotonSport out.
Sudanese debutants, Al Ahly Shandy beat Cotonsport Garoua 2-0 to complete a historic day for the club and Sudanese football in general. Shandy’s win in the second quarter final of the Orange CAF Confederation Cup sees them through to the group stage of the competition where they join fellow Sudanese giants Al Hilal and Al Merrikh to leave Sudan with three clubs in the mini-league stage, a first in the history of the country.Al Ahly Shandy had lost the first leg match by a 1-0 score line in Garoua, Cameroon a fortnight ago but looked in the mood to reverse that result early in the match played on Sunday night at City Shandy stadium.After a promising start the home team found it hard to dominate play as the visitors defended resolutely playing a style that frustrated Shandy. The opening goal came in the 22nd minute when Malian striker Bomba Pathero finished off a rebound from a Hamouda Badhir’s header that came off the cross bar. Pathero reacted quickest to stab home beating goalkeeper Loic Feudjou and send the stadium into delirium The midfield battles dominated the match where there were few scoring chances. The Cameroonians had Noé Achille Kwin and captain Souleymanou Moussa facing the dynamic Ghanaian Yakobu and Sudanese international Hamouda Badhir. It was the midfielders who bravely tried to dictate the pace and pattern of play for their respective sides.On 30 minutes Cottonsport almost got the equalizer when a move up front saw striker Jacques Haman went close during a period when the Cameroonians dominated play and forced four corners kick in a short period.Shandy doubled the score in the 50th minute when Yakobu jump to head home a free kick from man of the match Bashir. The second goal put Shandy in the driving seat and with the aggregate score at 2-1 the home side went for the kill. Yakobu could have made it three after dribbling past two defenders but he shot weakly straight at the goalkeeper after that impressive work.Shandy coach, Tunisian Mohamed Kouki made changes introducing Walid Hamdan,Oroua and Baroudi for Nadir, Muntasir and Fareed. Cottonsport coach Viovin Robert also made changes bringing in Acha Leonard, Emmanuel Mbongo and Chardin Mfoutou Madila for injured Ousmaïla Baba,Brice Zimbori and Souleymanou Moussa Cottonsport made attempts to score the important goal that would see them through on away goals rule but Shandy were determined to make it their day and saw the match out by the 2-0 result to win the tie 2-1 on aggregate