Hearts Of Oak - Al Ahly

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   Champions League match report:
    Hearts Of Oak (Accra, Ghana) - Al Ahly (Cairo, Egypt)
    (date: September 19th 1999)

the match report

champions league

african football

before the match

Bost teams had lost a match against Raja Casablanca and won one against Shooting Stars.
On September 18th Raja Casablanca had won its third match against Shooting Stars and maintained the lead in the group with 9 points out of three matches.

before the match

So it was evident, both teams would be under a high pressure to win this match.
Even a draw would mean at least a very bad psychological situation for both with 5 points behind the leaders.
A defeat would mean deep frustration. For Hearts Of Oak because it would minimize their chances with only one home game left and for Al Ahly because they had started as heavy favorites.

match report (2)

champions league

african football

the match report (1)

Al Ahly beginning with Ibrahim Hassan again, while Hossam Hassan still missing. Both teams started with attacks but soon it was Hearts Of Oak who created several chances:
A players stepped into a sharp free kick from half right but missed closed (6th), a spectacular save by the Egypt keeper against a 20 m shot (9th), a wasted one against keeper situation after a bad challenge against a Hearts counter attack (11th).
Al Ahly had some fine counter combinations but only was dangerous when a distance shot became hopping on the dry ground but found a concentrated Hearts goalkeeper.
In the progress the attacks became less inspired and defences became more solid.
In the 38th minute the most spectacular scene when a Hearts distance shot bounced back from the Al Ahly keeper and was headed against the goalpost.
Al Ahly answered with a few counter attacks, themost dangerous in injury time when a Hearts of oak defender had lost the ball during build up.
Hearts of Oak was dangerous with a lot of indiovidual actions and did a lot of 20m shooting which led to a clear dominance in the shots stats (see below).
Al Ahly tried to combinate for counter play but was dangerous too seldom.

Halftime 0:0

stats: shots 15-5, fouls committed 5-15, corners 3-1, offsides 0-3, cards none

the match report (2)

Al Ahly made the first attempt after halftime but it was Hearts of Oak who was dangerous with a distance attempt again (47th)
54th: after some confusion was created in the Al Ahly defence Quaye scored from 16 m for Hearts Of Oak - 1:0
In the following Hearts had two more giant opportunities from close range (saved and wide, 58th and 65th) and another one offside (68th).
Al Ahly had a terrible second hlaf thus far and not threatened at all until -
71st: a smart fake of an Egypt attacker got another one free for a second who scored from 18m - the surprise 1:1
In the following only minor threats to the two goals, everything looked settled for a draw.
88th: The lucky winner for Hearts of Oak: A cross ball was handled casually by an unconcentrated defender and Hearts capitalised from close range - 2:1
The only dangerous attempt of Al Ahly to answer ended in offside.

Final result: 2:1

Final stats: shots: 30:10, fouls 8:25, corners 7:1, offsides 2:5, yellow cards 0:2, red cards -:-

Al Ahly disappointed but almost scraped through with a lucky draw. Now they will have to win all remaining matches to retain a chance to reach the finals.
Hearts Of Oak played a good match, individually strong. They will have to start reproducing their home performance in away matches to catch up with Raja Casablanca who have the edge to have already won at Cairo.