Defending champions Egypt's Al-Ahly secured a 2-1 a difficult victory over Raja Casablanca in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals first-leg match at Al-Salam Wei Al-Ahly Stadium in Cairo on Saturday.
It took 12 minutes for Al-Ahly to break the deadlock when El Solia beat goalkeeper Anas Zniti from the spot-kick to hand Al-Ahly a 1-0 lead after the hosts were awarded a penalty, while Hussein EL Shahaat wiped off though in the 23rd minute from inside the box after Tau’s inch perfect cross found his run inside the box.
Pressure mounted on Raja, who conceded another penalty after Marouane Hadhoudi had committed a foul in the box and the defender was also sent off as the visitors were reduced to 10 players on the hour-mark, but El Solia missed the eventual penalty.
Moroccan goalkeeper Anas Zniti is considered man of the match by depriving Al-Ahly players of scoring many easy opportunities.
The second-leg playoff between Morocco's Atlas Lions and Egypt's Al-Ahly is scheduled to take place next Friday, in the Moroccan city of Casablanca.