|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Advantage, Algerians Kabylie draws 1-1 at Ismailia in CAF Cup final first leg
Updated: Saturday November 18, 2000 1:57 PM
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- A thundering free kick from 40 meters by Lounes Bendahmane gave Algeria's JS Kabylie a 1-1 away draw in the first leg of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup final against Ismailia of Egypt on Friday. Bendahmane's 72nd minute shot flew past the wall and Ismailia goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhi to hand the initiative to the Algerian club, which hosts the return leg in on December 1. Kabylie is seeking to become only the second club to win all three of Africa's annual club competitions, having previously won the African Champions Cup twice and the African Cup Winners' Cup five years ago. Kabylie's goal came four minutes after it had defender Farouk Belkaid sent off for punching Ismailia's Ayman Ramadan. The incident caused a temporary halt to the game as the Kabylie bench ran on to the pitch to protest against the red card. Ismailia went into the match as hot favorite, having shown solid goalscoring form in winning through to the final. But the threat of their Nigerian striker John Okata was nullified by a well-disciplined Algerian defense. A foul on Okata by JS Kabylie goalkeeper Lyamine Boughrara led to a penalty on the hour for Ismailia, converted by Mohamed Barakat. Ismailia, long in the shadow of Egypt's more glamorous clubs from the capital Cairo, is seeking to win its first continental title since 1969.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
