Clockwatch: Al Ahly 3-0 Sundowns

Al Ahly 3-0 Sundowns

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96 mins: Al Ahly are the new African champions for 2001 and will collect a prize of US$1m.
Final score: Ahly 3-0 Sundowns. Ahly lift the trophy 4-1 on aggregate.

94 mins: Although the third goal was enough to demoralise the South Africans, Sundowns still go forward with Marumo winning a corner.

89 mins: Al Ahly 3-0 A hat trick in the African Champions League final. Khaled Bebo strikes beating his marker and easily putting the ball in the net. It was from another break similar to his two previous goals.

86 mins: Great effort from Marumo with two strikes the first shot Hadary just managed to dive and push for a corner. From the corner Marumo headed against the post.

85 mins: Ahly make their final substitution. Sunday Ibeji goes out for Wael Reyad. Probably a good change by coach Manuel Jorge as his side is in need of fresh legs as pressure mounts.

82 mins: A back heel from Mnguni finds Marumo. But Marumo who made a first time strike but Hadary rescued Ahly again. 78 mins: Sundowns and Ahly make changes Walid Salahedine picks up the captains band from Abdelhafiz Said. Carlo Scott goes out for Sundowns.

75 mins: Sundowns have the chance to fight back but the South Africans seem to have run out of ideas.

73 mins: Sundowns desperately need their scoring boots on. Isaac Shai floats his cross in but Mnguni's flying kick sends the ball off target with a clear scoring chance.

65 mins: Marumo engineers a cross for Mnguni but his shot is stopped by the advancing El Hadary who had closed his angle. All Sundowns have to do now is to make use of their opportunities. Ahly have dropped back into their own half and really do not look keen to take adaventurous strikes.

63 mins: Sundowns denied by the woodwork after Carlo Scott's cross was smashed unto the far post by Mudau. A near miss. Nothing appears to be impossible here.

60 mins:In a repeat of the first-half, Sundowns are enjoying possession and better team work, but the last 20 yards continues to be difficult.

54 mins: Daniel Mudau has been denied by a deflection from almost 12 yards. The Sundowns captain turned and aimed for the bottom corner but an Egyptian leg diverted the ball to a corner.

50 mins: Scott fires another shot from the edge of t he box after a fine team move. Again El Hadary is able to rescue his side. It is possible that Ted Dimitriu the coach of Sundowns might have driven home the idea to his players that they must shoot from long range.

46 mins: Carlo Scott almost pulls goal back in the first minute of the second half following a defensive blunder with a volley but his effort is denied by El Hadary. This is the kind of early fire power the South Africans need to fight back. As we've seen in the first-half it's now a matter of making use of chances.

45 mins:Al Ahly 2-0. Khaled Bebo sends the Cairo stadium erupting with his second goal of the match after Mohamed Farouk had done all the work on the right. It would be a dramatic turn of events if Sundowns could fight back and level matters.

43 mins: Sundowns trying to go forward but the defence looks a bit shaky. Ahly left back Mosalem finds space in the box to cross in but Bebo was late to reach the ball. He was closely marked by Booth.

41 mins: Sundowns try to respond with a Barnet Mnguni shot from 20 yards after a splendid combination involving Carlo Scott and Marumo.

36 mins: Al Ahly 1-0. Al Ahly are awarded a penalty, Bebo himself steps up to take the penalty and scores the opening goal.

On aggregate the Egyptians lead 2-1.

36 mins: Ahly go on the break and Khaled Bebo penetrates the Sundowns defence and is brought down in the penalty box by Fabian McCarthy with a late challenge.

33 mins: Sundowns are still in control. Ahly are chasing shadows in midfield. It could actually be a short term situation. What Sundowns lack at this stage is the finishing touch but so far for every move they look dangerous.

30 mins: The Cairo stadium is silent. Not because of a goal, but the Egyptian side have not had the ball for the last two minutes as Sundowns dominate possession. Kampamba's shot moments ago seemed to have been vital. The South Africans can now combine well inside the Egyptian area.

26 mins: Sundowns' best action of the game so far is engineered by Zambian international Gift Kampamba. He shoots from 30 yards and El Hadary just managed to stretch and push the ball to a corner. It was the move in the game the South Africans needed to revamp their timid attacking approach.

21 mins: The dreadlocked Simba Marumo of Sundowns has little space to operate deep inside the Ahly area. He has however managed to show flashes of his skills but still finds it hard to beat three Egyptian defenders. Mudau tried moving down the flanks to cross into the box but it was blocked. Sundowns look nervous.

15 mins: John Tlale has been under pressure from Ahly. The Sundowns keeper has punched out shots from close range. The pace has slowed down now. So it means the two teams will settle down properly and play according to their plans. But it is vital for both sides in the opening ten minutes to score. For Sundowns the defence looks tight but the midfield and attack are yet to function constructively.

7 mins: Khaled Bebo is pushed off the ball just outside the box. The referee signals for a freekick. The Sundowns players thought it was a penalty. Bebo took the responsibility, but he did not apply any craft to his shot as Tlale punched the ball away. Soon after Bebo rounds the keeper inside the six yard box and aimed for goal, but the ball is cleared off the line by Booth for a corner.

6 min: The match has started at a cracking pace. Nigerian Sunday Ibeji almost cost his side an early goal. His back pass was not powerful enough to Ahly keeper Esam El Hadary. Sundown's striker Simba Marumo tangles with a team mate just outside the box. The Egyptian defence used the moment to recover.

4 min: Abou Mosalem presented with a clear chance to give Ahly the early lead when he makes a break into the Sundowns defence. Mosalem however was late to make a powerful strike. The ball went straight to the goalkeeperJohn Tlale

3 mins: First attempt by Sundowns to attack ended after Mnguni was caught offside.

2mins: Ahly attack. Abou Mosalem sends a dangerous cross inside the box but it was cleared by Sundowns defender, Matthew Booth.

1 min: Sunday Ibeji fouled by Carlo ScottTeams:

Al Ahly: 1-Essam Al Hadary; 7-Shady Mohamed, 23-Abou El Magd Mostafa,4 -Ibrahim Said, 28-Ahmed Abo Mosallam, 26-Wael Gomaa; 6-Said Abdehafiz, 19-Hossam Ghali, 29-Sunday Ibeji; 16-Mohamed Farouk, 9-Khaled Bebo.

Sundowns: 13-John Tlale; 2-Michael Manzini, 4-Fabian McCarthy, 5-Matthew Booth; 16-Charles Motlohi, 20-Gift Kampamba, 12-Bennett Mnguni, 11-Isaac Shai; 9-Daniel Mudau; 29-Carlo Scott, 30-Simba Marumo.

Referee: Abderrahim El Arjoune (Morocco)