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The African Champions League 2001
Final 2nd leg match report
Al Ahly - Mamelodi Sundowns

 
All groups, all matches:
African Champions League 2001
schedule + results
knock-out rounds
Group A
Group B
Semifinals + Final
 
 
Dec 21 1730 GMTAl Ahly- Sundowns  3:0 (final, 1st leg 1:1)
*Al Ahly are Champions League winners 2001
Al Ahly (Cairo, Egypt) - Mamelodi Sundowns (Pretoria, South Africa)

1st half:
-a packed stadium, both teams in their traditional outfits (see first leg), Al Ahly begin attacking
-('4) a first half chance for the home team, a weak shot only
-('5) followed by first excitement on the other side when the Egyptian keeper has some problems with a cross
-('7) Al Ahly with a free kick from the edge of the penalty area, saved, a scene which is immediately followed by a through ball on #9 Khaled Beebo (the same player who had already provoked the free kick) who dribbles past the keeper but the angle to the goal is too tight and a defender can intercept his attempt
-Al Ahly attack and Sundowns play a few counter attacks
-('15) Al Ahly paly good through balls against the offside trap and the South African keeper has to save a diagonal shot
-there are also passages when Sundowns try to build up from the back in which Ahly draw back and attack the Sundowns players already in midfield making it hard work to get through to the penalty area
--but most of the game sees Al Ahly attacking with several players and Sundowns going for the quick through counter attack
-('27) Al Ahly keeper Hadary has to save a first real dangerous shot by Sundowns. Although the guests have not had many goal scenes, it seems unlikely this match could end up scoreless from their side
-('36) Al Ahly #9 Khaled Beebo dribbles into the penalty area, moves past a defender, there seems to be contact, he falls, the ref says penalty
-('37) Beebo converts the penalty with a low shot into the left corner from his pint of view - 1:0
-('41) Sundowns low shot from outside the penalty area goes wide
-Al Ahly are now dangerous themselves with quick attacks
-('45) a player breaks through on the right hand side and makes a diagonal pass back to #9 Beebo who makes a low shot from about 10 meters into the same corner as his penalty - 2:0

halftime 2:0
Al Ahly tactics of attacking has proved the right idea although there had been a period in the middle of the half in which the Egyptians had to draw back a bit. Alltogether the South Africans have acted a little unlucky yet.

2nd half:
-('46) Al Ahly begin with a big concentration error. In ball possession the last Al Ahly defender wants to stop a back pass but misses the ball. The consequence: A Sundowns player takes the ball, fires immediately, but the keeper can save
-('50) again the Egyptian keeper has to intervene as #20 Kampamba, a quite small player, pressures
-it seems the halftime score has made Al Ahly a bit overconfident while Sundowns are now fighting for their chance
-('54) Sundowns captain Mudau with another chance for Sundowns who clearly have the momentum on their side now
-because of the away goal rule a 2:2 draw would see the South Africans winning the trophy. But yet they are two goals shy
-('56) Al Ahly keeper Hadary claims an injury and gives his team a welcomed but short break
-Al Ahly look overcareful and with a less good organised pressing in midfield, compared to first half. Sundowns attack much earlier and the Egyptians have clear problems in their build-up with this.
-('63) Sundowns with a similar situation to the 2nd Al Ahly goal, but here the ball only hits the goalpost - tough luck
-('65) Hadary stops the broken through Sundowns in the last moment
-('72) Al Ahly have managed to keep the match away from the goal for some minutes
-('73) #30 breaks through oon the left hand side, makes a low pass in fromt of the goal but Mudau, challenged, cannot get a clear shot off and the ball in a strange curve misses close, wide left
-Al Ahly attacking attempts, if there are any, fade without effect. The Egyptians do not seem interested anymore in putting pressure on the visitors
-Sundowns attempts look too hectic to profit from the Egyptian anxiety. A balls is fired from long ranges ending up somewhere in the stadium
-('82) Sundowns combinate through the Al Ahly defence once, but the close range shot by #30 is saved again by Hadary, who collides with the attacker in his second attempt and takes another injury time out
-('86) Two Sundowns players get into each others way as they are heading for a cross 
-('87) Hadary saves a bounccing shot from outside the penalty area
-('87) the insuing corner sees a #30 header clashing against the cross bar, deflected by a defender, positioned a meter before the goalline
-(90) Beebo receives the ball in midfield and goes off like a rocket, running away from the defenders. He beats the keeper by a perfect touch with the outside of his foot. A premium goal - 3:0
-Sepp Blatter and CAF president Hayatou are among the visitors as a firework is started after the final whistle

final score 3:0, Al Ahly have won the 2001 Champions League
Al Ahly have had the necessary luck in the course of the two matches but have looked the better team as well. They had an outstanding match winner in Khaled Beebo (some write Bebo or Bibo as well).

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