Ismaily survive scare to advance in CAF Cup

JOHANNESBURG: Former African champions Ismaily of Egypt survived a scare in Madagascar at the weekend to reach the last-16 round of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Taking what appeared a comfortable two-goal lead into the return match
against TCO Boeny in Mahajanga, the experienced African campaigners fell 2-0 behind three minutes into the second half.

But Ghanaian John Antwi scored midway through the second half and Ibrahim Hassan levelled in the final minute to earn a 2-2 on the day and a 4-2 overall victory for the Egyptians.

Zola Raveloarison had put Boeny in front four minutes before half-time and Alain Andrianantenaina doubled the lead three minutes after the interval to raise hopes of a rare Malagasy victory in a CAF club competition.

The next opponents for 1969 African Champions Cup winners Ismaily will be Sudanese side Al-Ahly Shandy, who retained a one-goal first-leg advantage by forcing a 0-0 draw with Dedebit of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.

Shandy impressed when they debuted in the Confederation Cup last year,
reaching the group phase before finding fellow Sudanese sides Al-Hilal and Al-Merreikh too powerful.

Wydad Casablanca of Morocco, another club to have been crowned African
champions, fought back to draw 1-1 against AS Douanes of Togo in Lome and complete a 4-1 aggregate victory.

The fixture between Lydia Academic of Burundi and Daring Club Motema Pembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Bujumbura was postponed to April 14 as the Kinshasa club are mourning the deaths of three players in a car accident. (AFP)