ALEXANDRIA — Al Ahly of Egypt won a record-extending fifth Caf Super Cup title Saturday by beating AC Leopards of Congo Brazzaville 2-1 near Mediterranean city Alexandria. —Reuters Teenager Rami Rabiea and veteran Mohamed Barakat scored for the Cairo Red Devils after halftime at the Borg El Arab Stadium before a goal 12 minutes before time from Rudy Guelord Bhebey-Ndey triggered a tense finish.
Ahly have won five of six Super Cup matches — an annual showdown between the Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup title-holders — with the lone loss coming against Cairo neighbours Zamalek in their first appearance.
Victory added a much needed $75 000 to the Ahly bank account as the security-related cancellation of domestic football last year cost all 18 top-flight Egyptian football clubs dearly.
Leopards collected $50 000 and the result confirmed their transition from African nonentities to a side able to challenge the best clubs on the continent far from their base in the western Congolese city Dolisie.
Bhebey-Ndey was foiled by the woodwork in the opening half before Rabiea claimed his first senior goal with a low shot and Barakat got the second by finishing off good work from Abdullah Al Saied.
After Bhebey-Ndey halved the deficit, Emad Moteab struck the crossbar and fellow veteran Wael Gomaa cleared a loose ball in stoppage time after Sherif Ekrami blocked a Cesaire Gandze shot.
