Petroleum too bitter for Ahli's Cup

Asyut Petroleum sprung the biggest surprise in the Egyptian Cup so far as they ousted champions Ahli with a 1-0 victory on Saturday.<br>

كتب : Ahmad Saied

السبت، 05 يناير 2008 - 17:10
Asyut Petroleum sprung the biggest surprise in the Egyptian Cup so far as they ousted champions Ahli with a 1-0 victory on Saturday.

The second-division side capped their dominance with a superb 49th-minute goal to hand Ahli their first domestic defeat of the season.

Hamdi Seif pinned a pinpoint cross from the right-hand side into the top corner of the net.

They advance to face ENPPI in the round of the 16.

Ahli, who won back-to-back cup titles last two seasons, played 23 minutes with 10 men after Moetazbellah Eno received his marching orders after a harsh challenge.

Asyut had the upper hand since the starting whistle, with Seif pulling the strings in the midfield and Sherif Nawareg dominating the right wing.

Captain Sami Abou-Zead sent a neat header just wide in the 13 minute and Seif went close in the 38th minute, when he robbed Eno inside the area but his careless shot couldn't find the net.

In the 49th minute, Nawareg outpaced Ahmed Shedid down the right and swung an inch-perfect cross towards Seif, who ghosted behind his marker and sent an unstoppable finish home.

Eno widened Ahli's misery in the 67th minute, receiving a red card for a harsh foul from behind.

Substitute Abdul-Hamid Hassan almost equalized with a floating free-kick in the 70th minute but his attempt rattled the crossbar.

Ahmed Saad could have doubled the lead seven minutes from time but he was also denied by the cross bar.