Winning start for Zamalek in CAF Champions League

Johannesburg - Egyptian club Zamalek made an impressive start in their quest to win their sixth CAF Champions League title, defeating Djibouti's AS Port 2-1 in Cairo on Friday. The White Knights took an early lead in the five-minute mark through Mohamed Shehata's close-range shot, and doubled their advantage with a 37th-minute header from Angolan Chico Banza.

Port managed to halve the deficit by scoring a goal from Mahdi Hussein Mahbi with just eight minutes of regular time remaining. Both legs of the first round qualifier will be held in Cairo, as Djibouti does not possess an international standard stadium. The second leg of the match is scheduled for September 12. Zamalek last won the Champions League in 2002, defeating Moroccan club Raja Casablanca 1-0 on aggregate in the two-leg final.

Their closest previous attempt to lift the trophy was finishing as runners-up to South African side Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 and to domestic rivals Al Ahly four years later. In other matches, Oussama Bentaleb scored a goal just before halftime to secure a 1-0 home win for JS Saoura of Algeria over Horoya of Guinea. Asswehly of Libya also secured a 1-0 victory at home against Zanzibari team KVZ, with Abdullah Al Arfi netting the winning goal in the 66th minute.