Zamalek 1-0 Vita Club | CAF Champions League 2013
Ahmed Gafar, who atoned for an earlier miss, gave the lively Zamalek a narrow 1-0 victory over DR Congo’s Vita Club who fought bravely in an exciting African Champions League encounter.
Zamalek will head into the second leg of the competition’s round of 32 in a fortnight as slight favorites after they could only notch up a solitary goal at Alexandria’s Borg El-Arab Stadium.
The visitors’ resolute defence kept the Cairo giants at bay for long periods until Gaafar broke the deadlock eight minutes past the hour mark with a fierce first-timer from inside the area, a few minutes after spurning a golden goal-scoring opportunity.
However, instead of celebrating his goal, Gaafar threw Zamalek’s shirt onto the pitch and gesticulated to coach Jorvan Vieira to substitute him. It was not immediately clear why he had done so.
Although he is Zamalek’s top scorer in the Egyptian Premier League with two goals in six games, the 27-year-old is often criticized by the team’s fans for wasting too many easy chances.
The White Knights are bidding to win Africa’s elite club competition for the first time since 2002. They have five titles under their belt, two behind traditional foes and record winners Ahly who face Kenya’s Tusker away from home on Saturday.
Watch the goal here: Ahmed Gafar:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PydiPZPmHxw[/youtube]
Full Mini Match First Half:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GoMa3_tXDk[/youtube]
2nd Half:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHjr_QmZ_e0[/youtube]
