Zamalek earns slim away advantage as Tusker falter at home - Capital Sports
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Tusker FC midfielder Boniface Muchiri tries to look for space against Zamalek. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya

Football

Zamalek earns slim away advantage as Tusker falter at home

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 16 – Moroccan international Achraf Bencharki scored two minutes after half time as Egyptian giants Zamalek SC earned a slim 1-0 advantage over Kenyan champions Tusker FC in the first leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round at Nyayo on Saturday.

Bencharki scored a few seconds after he had rattled the crossbar, but Tusker will rue a last minute shot by Boniface Muchiri which evaded the target by a whisker.

The White Knights now carry the vital away goal heading into the return tie in Alexandria on Friday and the Kenyan champions will have their work cut out away from home.

Shami Kibwana had the first sniff at goal in the sixth minute when a good passing move by the brewers found him inside the box, but his rasping shot at goal skied over the bar.

In the sixth minute, Boniface Muchiri, one of Tusker’s brightest sparks in the game tried his luck from a freekick, curling the ball beyond the wall but keeper Mohamed Abou Gabal flew to his right to save with the defense clearing the rebound.

Muchiri was at the centre of another Tusker chance in the 27th minute, delivering a freekick from the right. Tanzanian dangerman Ibrahim Joshua did well to rise and glance a header at goal, but the effort bounced just inches wide.

At the stroke of halftime, Zamalek almost scored when Fayed Morsy made a good run on the right to cut back a cross, but Bencharki missed a complete sitter, his right footed tap going straight to keeper Bwire’s arms.

In the second half though, the visitors were off with a punch. Bencharki hit the post seconds after the restart before finally getting his goal a minute later.

The lethal winger dribbled his way into the box from the left before shooting the ball to beat Bwire at his near post.

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Zamalek were off to a flier and their intricate passing behind the defense was pulling Tusker’s backline apart and twice, Tanzanian defender Kalos Kirenge had to make timely tackles to deny them scoring opportunities.

The home side made changes, Daniel Sakari coming off for Kevin Monyi at right back while forward, Humphrey MIeno, Jackson Macharia and Mwinyi were all hauled off for Apollo Otieno, John Njuguna and Ugandan attacker Deogratious Ojok.

Muchiri and Ibrahim came close again for Tusker, but both their shots at goal were saved by Abou Gabal.

In the 80th minute Tusker survived when Morsy made another run on the left, but keeper Bwire made a brilliant save one on one to keep the score slim.

At the death, Muchiri should have grabbed a draw. The forward picked the ball at the edge of the box after he was shielded through by Joshua, but his shot flew inches wide.

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