Tunde Sulaiman
6 October 2008
Lagos — Enyimba's dreams of reclaiming the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) Champions' League crown hangs by a thread after they were held to a 0-0 draw in Aba by Al Ahly of Egypt in the first leg semi-final tie yesterday.
The Peoples' Elephants went into the game with a fine home record, but despite applying most of the pressure, they were wasteful in front of goal.
Enyimba had won every home game in the group stages, scoring 10 goals and conceding only one.
Al Ahly played as a well-organised unit, and was aiming for a goal on the break, although it was not to come.
Their best chance came in the 78th minute when Mohamed Aboutrika got to the end of a poor back pass by Chinedu Ezimorah, but goalkeeper Sani Haliru made a smart save to his left. With six minutes remaining, Enyimba substitute Emeka Akueme misdirected a free header inside the six-yard box with the Egyptian defence well beaten. Three years ago Ahly managed a 1-0 win in Aba in the group stage of the competition.
And in the second semi-final, Coton Sport of Cameroon came away from Harare with a 1-0 win. Niger international Kamilou Daouda scored the only goal of the game with a header in the 32nd minute of yesterday's game. It was Daouda's sixth goal of the tournament.
Coton Sport was strong in defence, with Daouda often the only man upfront.
Dynamos captain Murape Murape could have equalised on 62 minutes, but his overhead kick inside the penalty box flew over the bar with only keeper Daouda Kassali to beat.
The result leaves Dynamos with a very difficult task in the second leg on the weekend of 18-19 October, but fans will still hold some hope given their away record in the competition.
The Zimbabwean side beat holders Etoile du Sahel and Cote d'Ivoire's Asec Mimosas away from home.
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