Zamalek keeps Egyptians smiling

18.02.2008

Egypt flexed its football muscles again as Zamalek triumphed 2-1 in Rwanda against APR on Saturday as CAF Champions League kicked off.

Just one week after winning the African Nations Cup, the north African country demonstrated that its strength is not confined to its national team.

The Cairo club travelled to central Africa on a revenge mission having been whipped 4-1 by military club, APR, in the same competition four years ago.

And it did not take long for Zamalek to make its mark with Mostafa Gaafar scoring after just six minutes for a club that has won the premier Caf club competition a record equalling five times.

The team named after an affluent suburb in the Egyptian capital struck again 20 minutes from full-time through Mohamed Aboul Ela before Akiam Jannot grabbed a late consolation goal.

Given the near invincibility of Egyptian clubs at home, Zamalek appears set to reach the second of three qualifying rounds for the group phase of the US$3.5m competition.

South African champion Mamelodi Sundowns and Platinum Stars, one of 12 national league runners-ups given places on merit, won as the country began another attempt to add to the 1995 triumph of Orlando Pirates.

A second-half goal from national team midfielder Surprise Moriri earned Sundowns a 1-0 win against Miembeni on the island of Zanzibar while Stars cruised to a 4-0 home victory over Correctional Services of Lesotho.

Solomon Mathe, Daniel Tshabalala and Koketso Mmotong scored in a six-minute first half goal blitz for debutants Platinum and substitute Collen Makgopela completed the rout of the prison warders two minutes into stoppage time.