Holders Al Ahli maintained their 100 percent record in the group phase of the African Champions League when they beat Tunisia's Esperance 3-0 in Cairo on Friday. Goals from Mohamed Aboutrika, Flavio and Osama Hosni took the Egyptian side to nine points in Group B, six ahead of second-placed Al Hilal, who have a game in hand. Aboutrika's strike in the 14th minute set the Egyptians on their way to their third win of the campaign. The Egyptian international cleverly chipped the ball over Esperance goalkeeper Hamdi Kasraoui after a fortunate deflection off the legs of defender Zied Derbali. Angolan striker Flavio doubled the lead 12 minutes from time, rising first to head home an in-swinging free kick from his compatriot Gilberto, whose runs down the left flank tormented the Tunisian visitors. Substitute Hosni got the third in the 85th minute with a precision shot from outside the penalty area that crept in between the outstretched arm of Kasraoui and the post.Al Ahli can make sure of their progress to the semi-finals when they meet Esperance again on Aug. 4. The Tunisian side, who have been in crisis with three coaching changes in the last five weeks, broke through Al Ahli's defence with the last effort of the match but Seifallah Mahjoubi managed to hit his shot against the upright. Esperance have yet to score a goal in their three group matches and are in serious danger of missing out on the other semi-final berth offered the top two finishers in the group. Al Hilal of Sudan host ASEC Abidjan from the Ivory Coast on Sunday.(Source:Reuters)
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