AFRICAN CONFEDERATION CUP 2014 - FINALS - 1ST LEG - RESULT

AFRICAN CONFEDERATION CUP 2014

Sewe Sport of Ivory Coast seized a slender advantage over Egyptian side Al Ahly after winning the first leg of the African Confederation Cup final 2:1 in Abidjan on Saturday.

Goals from Christian Koffi Kouame and Roger Assale helped seal the home win for Sewe.

Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan scored what could yet prove to be an important away goal for Ahly.

It means Sewe Sport have a narrow lead going into the second leg which takes place on 6 December in Cairo.

The two sides had already met in the group stages of the Cup which ended in a 1:1 draw in Ivory Coast before Ahly won their home tie 1:0.

This time, Sewe went one better, having taken a 24th minute lead from the penalty spot.

Kouame sent Ahly keeper Ahmed Adel the wrong way after Roger Assale had been fouled in the box.

Sewe continued to build and went into the break much the better team.

Against the run of play, Ahly got their equaliser on 58 minutes through 'Trezeguet' after a well-worked move from the Egyptians.

Sewe deservedly got their second eight minutes from time through Roger Assale who had been a threat all match for the Ivorian side.

The Confederation Cup is the one trophy to have eluded Al Ahly, who have been crowned champions of Africa on eight previous occasions.

Success in the Confederation Cup for Ahly would restore some pride both for themselves and for Egyptian football.

The Pharaohs created unwanted history by failing for a record third consecutive time to reach the Africa Cup of Nations finals, a competition they have won an unrivalled seven times.

Ahly had hopes of a record third straight African Champions League title dashed by Libyan namesakes Al-Ahly Benghazi in the final qualifying round for the group phase.

Fellow Cairo club Zamalek did make the mini-league stage only to fare disastrously, winning just one game out of six and finishing bottom of the table.

Neither Ismaili nor Wadi Degla, the original 2014 Confederation Cup entrants from the North African state, got beyond the qualifying stage.