The referee blows his final whistle. Ahly close in on the Champions League final following a 3-3 draw at Nigeria's Sunshine Stars.
87 Ahly defender Saad Samir misses an open net!! his header at the far post goes over the crossbar with the goal gaping.
84 Osasco Precious brings Sunshine Stars level with a superb curling free kick. Ekramy gets a hand to it but fails to prevent it from finding the top corner.
84 GOAAAAAAAAAL FOR SUNSHINE STARS!!
83 Sunshine Stars are taking the game to Ahly, who are still suffering at the back, with Wael Gomaa and Mohamed Naguib unable to close down spaces.
78 Ahly are desperately looking to maintain their narrow lead to close in on a place in the Champions League final.
74 Gedo scores his second of the night to restore Ahly's lead. His low shot from inside the area strikes the keeper hands and finds the bottom corner.
74 GOAAAAAAAAAL FOR AHLY!! WHAT A GAME
73 Olurundare Dele converts the resulting penalty although Ekramy dived the right way.
73 GOAAAAL FOR SUNSHINE STARS!!
71 A reckless lunge by Ahly defender Mohamed Naguib on an opponent gifts the hosts a penalty.
71 PENALTY FOR SUNSHINE STARS!!
69 The first substitution for Ahly. El-Sayed Hamdi is replaced with Mauritanian striker Dominique Da Silva.
68 Another chance for Ahly!! El-Sayed Hamdi cuts inside his marker and shoots from close range but his effort goes over the bar.
63 Ahly are unlucky not to add a third!! a volley by playmaker Abdallah El-Saied strikes the post.
60 A mis-hit volley by Walid Soliman goes wide after he was picked out unmarked in the area.
57 Ahly keeper Sherif Ekramy dives to his left to block a low free kick.
55 Ahly ease off a bit after the break . Sunshine are persistently searching for an equaliser.
50 Sunshine Stars almost level the score!! Olurundare Dele rises between two defenders to meet a left-wing cross with a free header that goes over the bar. Ahly's defence remains shaky.
47 Ahly's lively winger Walid Soliman makes a bursting run but his eventual shot from inside the area is collected by Sunshine keeper Moses Ocheje.
The second half is underway
The referee blows his half-time whistle
45 Another chance for Sunshine Stars!! Alaba Osawe almost equalises but his close-range and free header goes just wide.
45 Ahly keeper Sherif Ekramy brilliantly tips over a powerful drive from Tamen as Sunshine Stars pile on pressure before halftime.
44 Defender Wael Gomaa superbly blocks a powerful shot from Sunshine Stars on the edge of the area.
40 Ahly are still unsettling Sunshine's defence with their silky game.
35 Sunshine Stars score from their first genuine chance in a game dominated by Ahly.
34 Medrano Tamen pulls one back for the hosts. He cuts inside defender Wael Gomaa to curl a delightful right-foot shot past Ahly keeper Sherif Ekramy.
34 GOAAAAAAAL FOR SUNSHINE STARS!!
30 Hamdi repays the faith of El-Badry with a fine goal. He exchanges passes with left-back Ahmed Shedid on the left to break clear and dink the ball over the keeper from a tight angle.
30 GOAAAAAAAAAAAAL FOR AHLY!!
28 Ahly seem close to doubling their advantage. They are laying siege to Sunshine's area.
24 Sunshine Stars forward Azuka tries his luck once again but his long-range shot goes just over the bar.
22 Ahly are totally dominating the game. Their free-flowing football is too strong for the hapless hosts.
18 Mohamed Nagy 'Gedo' opens the scoring with a superb right-foot shot from the edge of the area. The unopposed forward makes no mistake with a precise effort.
18 GOAAAAAAAAAAAAL FOR AHLY!!
17 Sunshine Stars' Azuka Bobo Izu tries his luck from distance but his effort goes high over the bar.
15 Sunshine Stars are gradually matching their opponents. No threats yet, still a boring affair.
10 The visitors are having the upper hand in terms of possession, but they are yet to create goal-scoring opportunities.
7 Ahly forward El-Sayed Hamdi, who is given a rare start, is eager to prove himself after being largely confined to the bench by coach Hossam El-Badry.
3 Ahly look lively in the early stages. They are going on the offensive.
1 Ahly mount early threat! playmaker Abdallah El-Saied darts down the right flank before whipping a cross that is cleared by a Sunshine defender.
The match is underway
15:55 Both sides step onto the pitch, five minutes before kick-off.
15:40 Ahly are bidding to win a seventh continental crown. The last time Ahly won the competition they overcame another Nigerian side in the semi-final. They beat Enyimba 1-0 on aggregate to go on and lift the trophy after defeating Cameroon’s Coton Sport in the 2008 final.
15:30 Ahly coach Hossam El-Badry opted to field two frontmen in Gedo and Hamdi. The team will have to do without a number of regulars, including striker Emad Meteb and left-back Sayed Moawad, who was replaced with Ahmed Shedid.
15:20 Ahly’s starting lineup: Sherif Ekrami, Ahmed Fathi, Wael Gomaa, Mohamed Naguib, Ahmed Shedid, Hossam Ghaly, Hossam Ashour, Walid Soliman, Mohamed Nagy ‘Gedo’, El-Sayed Hamdi.
15:15 The first leg takes place at Akure Township Stadium in Nigeria while the second will be held in Egypt in a fortnight.
15:15 Welcome to Ahram Online’s live coverage of Ahly’s clash against Nigeria’s Sunshine Stars in the first leg of the African Champions League semi-final.
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