Nigeria forward Junior Ajayi scored twice as Al Ahly were crowned Egypt Super Cup champions after an entertaining 3-2 victory against Zamalek.
The Reds got off to a quick start, when Hussein El-Shahat squared the ball towards Amr El-Sulaya, who found Magdy ‘Afsha’ near the edge of the box with a clever backheel pass. The number 19’s finesse shot went just wide off the post in the 14th minute.
Al Ahly continued to push forward and just four minutes later they broke the deadlock through Junior Ajayi, who finished Ali Maaloul crossed corner kick with a powerful strike that nestled into the back of Mohamed Awad’s net.
In the 37th minute, veteran fullback Ahmed Fathi advanced up the right flank and found El-Shahat inside the box with a perfect cross, but the winger’s header missed the target by a narrow range.
El-Shahat continued to be at heart of attack for the league champions, when he got at the end of a loose ball following a massive error from Mohamed Abel-Shafy who failed to clear the ball to reach El-Shahat, who smashed the ball home from a close range.
It only took Al Ahly five minutes after the restart to extent their lead to 3-0. Ramadan Sobhi intercepted the ball from Mahmoud ‘Shikabala’ in a dangerous zone and squared it towards Ajayi, who doubled his tally with a smooth finish into the bottom corner.
In the 62nd minute, the Whites were awarded a penalty kick after Mostafa Mohamed was brought down inside the box by Mohamed El-Shennawy. Mahmoud Alaa converted cleverly from the spot to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
Around the 75-minute mark, Zamalek were given another penalty kick after Hamdi Fathi’s poor challenge on Achraf Bencharki. Alaa once again sent the ball home calmly, making it 3-2.
Zamalek tried to net the equaliser in the remaining minutes, however, they failed as Al Ahly maintained discipline and composure until the referee blew the fulltime whistle.
Al Ahly and Zamalek are set to start their 2019/20 league campaign on the 23rd of September. The Reds will face Smouha, meanwhile, the Whites will host Ittihad of Alexandria.
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COMMENTS
I think it’s about time Ajayi got invited to the Super Eagles. It’s being consistent in his performances.
…thank you Glory. Al-Ahly is on par with a lot top European clubs in terms of depth and professionalism… the best cream of Egypt national teamers play there… the good thing is that he is a key squad member and regular… he is a quality player who apart from good all-round play, has a very great heading ability… Imo he deserves to be in the Super Eagles mix…
You see ajayi was given the chance at the olympics but he fail to utilise that chance . He was siasia hope for the attack alongside awoniyi but both of them failed to deliver thats why sadiq umar was impresively the first choice striker as he delivered that was when ajayi lost the moment with eagles. Secondly i think ajayi is now an attacking mildfieder he could be the best replacement for iwobi in that no 10 he will complete that show just like iwobi another no 10 rohr must quickly recognise and organise him he will be even more dangarous than iwobo is maja the guy from bordeu he is not a striker even if the club play him as a striker that guy will be a verry good ten for eagles. His precision in pases decision making high for goal and high for the attack will be verry usefull. I hope mr rohr gets these vital info about his players Maja is 10 not 9. Ajayi too can be ten not 9. NDIDI should return to our central defend he is our nest yobo. Our def midfield should be etebo. azubuike.aribo.nwakali.
@Glory, So once a player of Nigerian descent scores a goal Anywhere in d world then such player should be invited into the National Team hmmmm??
Not once but this guy has been consistent going over two seasons now. Not just his scoring but general performance.
Amunike was a Zamalek player in 1994 when he won the African footballer of the year as a super Eagles player. Julius Aghahowa was drafted into the Super Eagles by Jo Bonfere in the yr 2000 just after participating in the U20 World cup Nigeria hosted in 1999. Aghahowa was a Bendel Insurance player but was just bought by Esperance of Tunisia when he took African football by storm. Why invite Ihenacho who is consistently on the bench and Musa when he too was a bench warmer at Leister and leave players who are active out if the team. This is one of the reasons there still holes in that team that needs to be blocked.
…Ajayi is better than Ighalo and may even be better than Osimhen… because he is in egypt is why he is being overlooked… the guy is quality. Some good players are not too lucky landing it fast in Europe mainstream… players have different paths to stardom and that one play in a big league does not mean he may be better than all players in low profile teams… Ajayi is on same level with all current Super Eagles strikers… Al Ahly is the best club n the continent… so it takes a good player to even star for them. We must not even forget than Kayode Olarenwaju was top scorer in Austrian league some two years back and yet never got any real chance with eagles… sometimes not all selections are based on merit… for instance, kelechi Iheanacho does not deserve to go near Super Eagles any time soon until his club playing status changes… if he gets invited again it will be clear bias…
Jimmy abeg stop it! How can you say he may be even better than Osimhen! Why do we always believe the players not invited are better than the ones invited until the get invited and then people go silent. The most recent case is Onuachu. Imagine if Onauchu was not invited how people like you will claim he’s better than everyone. This same Ajayi was part of the 2015/16 U23 squad with Osimhen. While Osimhen shined Ajayi flopped. Again at the Olympics proper Siasia benched him in favour of Sadiq Umar. Remember, Osimhen is a much accomplished player now. How many goals has Ajayi scored over the last year? Meanwhile, Osimhen scored 20 goals last season in Belgium and is currently leading the scorers chart in France with 5goals in 5 games. Abeg let’s be realistic.
Skill for skill… quality for quality… Ajayi is at par with any current Super Eagles striker… at the Olympics you said SiaSia benched him… Yes that’s after SiaSia probably was fielding Umar because of quota system… It was Ajayi and Awoniyi goals that qualified them for Olympics… Mind you NFF was angry with SiaSia in the Olympics because they accused him of taking some questionable squad members… SiaSia is a good coach but often has questionable selection issues… Last year Junior Ajayi was the only Nigerian to make CAF eleven with the likes of Mahrez… Play for play he is at par with any Eagle striker… Quote me anywhere… I played professional football… It takes ten minutes to know a player who has it…
The best Egyptian players play for Al-Ahly… You don’t just wake up and get signed by Al-Ahly talk more playing regularly… Do you know how physical African competitions and leagues are… It’s way more physical than most Europe leagues… could Mikel cope in the last Afcon? No! Ajayi needs to be in SE mix… Osimhen is the race of the moment but he needs helpers… I don’t know about Onuachu but you clearly can’t tell me the Danish league is more competitive than the Egyptian league…