CAF Champions League, Confed Cup champs: Medeama, Dreams FC in Jerky starts
Ghana’s representatives in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup competitions, Medeama SC and Dreams FC, suffered opening group defeats over the weekend as the league stage of the two competitions kick-started.
In Cairo, where Medeama attempted the unthinkable against the reigning champions Al Ahly,they crushed to an emphatic 3-0 defeat.
Medeama, however, gave a good account of themselves, holding the continental giants for the first half and made inroads but were unfortunate not to break the rear.
Ahly was forced to work hard for the victory after a frustrated first half that saw the Ghanaians
maintain their discipline at the back and faced the Egyptians squarely.
But Ahly brought their experience to bear on the second half where they caused a few tactical tweaksto undo the Ghanaians who succumbed to the pressure with a 66th minute goal by Kahraba.
With the floodgates opened, Ahly pushed more men forward and succeeded in doubling the lead in the 75th minute with a strike from Hussein El Shatat.
Salah Mohsen finished off the Ghanaians in the 88th minute as Ahly topped the group with the emphatic victory.
The story was not different for Dreams FC as they suffered a 2-0 defeat in the hands of Tunisian giants Club Africain in their CAF Confederation Cup group stage match at the StadeOlympiqueHammadiAgrebi in Raves, yesterday.
Unlike Medeama SC that survived an opening half, Dreams FC lacked the power to frustrate their opponents as they conceded a fifth minute opener from Algerian national,TayebMeziani. Meziani.
The Tunisians extended their lead to 2-0 in the 19th minute after a blunder from Dreams’ goalkeeper Solomon Agbasi following an attempt by Kingsley Eduwa.
As if that was not enough, Dreams FC lost their Captain Abdul Jaliluto an expulsion for a second bookable offence
BY ANDREW NORTEY