Ahly quartet etch super cup history

Four players of Egyptian giants, Al-Ahly, have engraved their names in CAF Super Cup history, with appearances against the same side in two editions.

Captain Wael Gomaa, defensive duo, Ahmed Fathy and Sayed Moawad, and midfielder Housam Ashour, are the first players to play against the same opponent in the annual one-off match between the winner of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.

The quartet’s appearance in last Thursday’s match against CS Sfaxien of Tunisia [ended 3-2 in favour of Ahly], at the Cairo International Stadium, saw them achieve the historic feat. The clash was the second between the two clubs in the one-off match after their previous meeting in 2009 at the same venue.

Gomaa, Fathy, Moawad and Ashour are the only surviving members of the Ahly squad that beat the reigning Tunisian champions, in their initial meeting five years ago.

Then 33, Gomaa partnered now retired Shady Mohamed at the heart of the defence, Fathy at the right back and Ashour, 22 at the time, figured in the midfield with Moataz Eno, Ahmed Hassan (former Egypt captain) and Mohamed Barakat, who hanged his boots last year.

Left-back Moawad, who turns 35 on May 25, replaced Angolan Gilberto Sebastiao seven minutes from time.

In post for Ahly was Amir Abdel Hamid whilst Flavio Amado, also from Angola led the attack. Portuguese trainer, Jose Manuel was in charge as the Egyptians triumphed 2-1 for what marked their fourth Super Cup title.

Five years down the lane, it was an entirely different team from Sfaxien as their 18-man squad was bereft of any-member of the 2009 final.

The Sfax-based club paraded Jacem Khalloufi in post, Haj Massaoud, Aymen Ben Amor, Hamdi Rouid and Issam Merdasi in defence, Haitham Mrabet, Chedi Hammani, Naby Soumah and Abdelkarim Nafti in midfield whilst Dominique da Silva, who later played for Ahly and Hamza Younes were the attackers.

An elated Gomaa told Cafonline.com “I played in 2009 and I’m very happy to have won a second time against the same team.

“This is a special moment for me,” said the defender, who has the CAF Super Cup four others [2002, 2006, 2007 and 2013], and six times overall. He remains the only player to have featured in all six Super Cup triumphs of the ‘Red Devils’ of Egyptian football.

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