Heartland keep hopes alive in CAF Champions League
Heartland keep hopes alive
Posted: 2010-08-30 10:12
Last year's losing finalists, Nigeria's Heartland, kept alive their hopes of progressing to the semi-final of the CAF Champions League with a 2-1 win over visiting Egyptian side Ismaily in an explosive match played at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Nigeria on Sunday.
The win puts the Nigerians - who were bottom of Group B with one point - in third place with four points from four games.
Ismaily drew first blood when the dangerous Mohamed Soliman Ali's 29th minute strike silenced fans but Heartland supporters heaved a sigh of relief when the Naze Millionaires drew level just before the break.
ThankGod Ike restored parity with a well struck goal in the 38th minute of the encounter.
A draw or defeat would all have ended Heartland's title chase and the match was heading for stalemate until the 85th minute when midfielder Chinedu Efugh grabbed the winner to give the Nigerians their first win of the group stage and send fans at the stadium into wild jubilations.
Despite the win, Heartland still face a Herculean task and need to get a favourable result away in Cairo against record six-time winners Al Ahly and then win their next home game against group leaders JS Kabylie of Algeria to move ahead from the group.
Former African champions JS Kabylie held Egyptian giants Al-Ahly to a 1-1 draw in their day four Champions League match yesterday to move within touching distance of a place at the last four.
The result puts the 1980 and 1991 winners closest to a place at the semi finals, a feat which will be avoided with at least two points from their remaining games.
Ahly, who needed victory badly to close in on the Group B leaders went up first on 22 minutes through new recruit Mohamed Nagy ‘Geddo' before midfielder Saad Tedjar drew parity for Canaries five minutes later.
The Red Devils, record six-time winners of the premier continental club championship had revenge at the back of their minds after a lone goal loss during the last meeting between the two sides in Tizi Ouzou a fortnight ago.
Ahly were on the offensive from the onset with the likes of Mohamed Aboutreika, Mohamed Barakat and Mohamed Fadl dictating the pace of the game from the middle.
Their efforts will yield dividends on 22 minutes, with Geddo, top scorer at the Afcon 2010 in Angola last January, heading home from Ahmed Fathy's pass around the visitors penalty area.
JS Kabylie responded positively and five minutes later Tedjar struck the equalizer with a long range effort from a free-kick after his initial effort bounced off the human wall. Tedjar hit the rebound powerfully leaving Ahly goalie Sherif Ekramy with no option.
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