The Sudanese Hilal renewed its supremacy over Cameroon’s Coton Sport 2-0 on Tuesday at the “Blue Jewel” stadium in Omdurman, in the opening matches of the fourth round of the second group competitions of the African Champions League.
And “Sayed Al-Balad” raised its score to 9 points at the top of the group temporarily, pending the completion of the round matches, by meeting Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa (7 points) and the third Egyptian Al-Ahly (4 points) on Saturday, while Cotton Sport remained at the bottom of the standings without a score.
Al-Hilal stressed the pressure on Al-Ahly, who holds the record for the number of titles in the competition (10 times), before its difficult confrontation against Sundowns in Pretoria, as it will be doomed to win to preserve its chances of winning one of the two quarter-final round cards.
The team of the Democratic Congolese coach, Florent Ibenge, made a strong performance in the first half, as he dominated almost completely, but his threat to the visitors’ goal lacked accuracy in ending the attacks, while the Cameroonian team relied on rebounds and the brilliance of the Sudanese international goalkeeper Ali Abu Twenty in front of Ibrahim Abba’s shot from Direct free kick (41).
Two minutes later, Ghanaian David Abanga opened the scoring for Al Hilal with a powerful shot, following a quick attack led by Mohamed Abdel Rahman “Gharbal” (43).
Coach Abu Bakr Suleimanou’s changes contributed to improving the level of his team, which abandoned its caution and attacked the Sudanese goal fiercely. Abu Twenty saved a missile shot fired by Abdul Rahman Daman (57), and the Sudanese goalkeeper shone in front of Ibrahim Aba’s header (68).
Moroccan referee Radwan Ged awarded a penalty kick to Al Hilal in the 82nd minute, after substitute John Rubia was hampered by Basbon Waso. Macabe Lilibo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo scored it successfully, raising his tally to five goals in the continental competition this season.
