04.11.2020 22:28 h

Late goal blitz takes Zamalek into final against arch rivals Ahly

Zamalek scored three late goals within six minutes to rout Raja Casablanca 4-1 in Cairo Wednesday and set up an all-Egyptian CAF Champions League final against arch rivals Al Ahly.

Mostafa Mohamed netted twice and Achraf Bencharki once from the 85th minute to complete a 5-1 semi-final triumph on aggregate and create the first title decider between clubs from the same country.

Raja cancelled the 1-0 lead Zamalek brought into the second leg of the semi-final when a deflected shot from Congolese Ben Malango found the net on 47 minutes behind closed doors due to the coronavirus.

Tunisian Ferjani Sassi levelled on the night and put Zamalek back in front on aggregate after 61 minutes with a superb curved shot after his first attempt had been blocked.

Had Raja scored again they would have squeezed into the final on away goals, but the Moroccan outfit fell apart in the closing stages at the Cairo International Stadium.

Mohamed gave Zamalek a 2-1 second leg lead with an unstoppable header past goalkeeper Mohamed Bouamira off a superb Ahmed 'Zizo' Sayed cross.

The 22-year-old struck again three minutes later and Moroccan Bencharki, whose goal won the first leg in Casablanca, completed the rout during additional time.

The 5-1 aggregate scoreline was identical to the other semi-final, which was concluded last month and also pitted Cairo and Casablanca clubs against each other with Ahly beating Wydad at home and away.

Ahly have won the elite African club competition a record eight times and five-time champions Zamalek share second place with TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The single-match final will be played on November 27 at the Borg el Arab Stadium on the outskirts of ancient Egyptian Mediterranean city Alexandria.