Holders Ahly flex muscles to thump St George to reach group stage

Reigning TotalEnergies CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly showed their title credentials once again as they thrashed Ethiopian club Saint George 4-0 on Friday night to seal a place in the group stage of this year's competition.

Playing at Cairo International Stadium on Friday night, the Egyptian giants put on a dominant display to secure a commanding 7-0 aggregate victory over the two-legged playoff round.

Mohamed 'Afsha' Magdi lit the fuse with a stunning 10th-minute free-kick before adding a second just before half-time after being teed up by Karim El Debes.

Mahmoud 'Kahraba' Abdel-Moneim then converted a 34th-minute penalty to make it 3-0 on the night. He grabbed his second in the 63rd minute courtesy of a fine assist from new signing Emam Ashour.

Despite being without injured key men Anthony Modeste, Amr El-Sulaya, and Mahmoud Metwally, Al Ahly illustrated their remarkable strength in depth.

Coach Marcel Koller was able to make a raft of second-half changes to rest players, bringing on the likes of Karim Fouad, Yasser Ibrahim, Taher Mohamed Taher, and South African star Percy Tau.

Saint George had requested the second leg also be played in Cairo, but the Red Devils showed no mercy in front of their adoring home fans.

The emphatic result means Al Ahly join Egyptian rivals Pyramids FC in the lucrative Champions League group stage as they target a record-extending 11th African crown.

Pyramids qualified earlier on Friday with a 6-1 demolition of Rwanda's APR FC.

Al Ahly laid down a marker with their ruthless disposal of Saint George and the defending champions appear primed for another memorable Champions League campaign.

Source: CAFonline.com