Qadhafi Wahab puts Kitara ahead against Al Ahly in Confederation Cup second round

Qadhafi Wahab gave Kitara the lead against Al Ahly in the second round of the Confederation Cup, finishing from inside the penalty area after a cross from the left.

The forward met the delivery and sent his shot into the right side of the net to put Kitara in front.

Al Ahly had made the more sustained attacking start, winning three corners in the opening stages. Hussein El Shahat delivered one from the left through a short routine with Mohamed Magdy Afsha, but Kitara’s defence eventually cleared the danger.

Afsha then sent a cross into the box from a right-sided corner, which was also dealt with by the Kitara defence. Another Al Ahly corner from the right was played short by Afsha before Marwan Attia crossed, but the ball went untouched and out for a goal kick.

With 15 minutes played, the score remained 0-0. Taher Mohamed Taher headed wide from inside the area, while Yassin Meriah missed a significant opportunity when his effort from close range went narrowly wide of the right post.

Al Ahly continued to threaten from distance. El Shahat’s shot from outside the area went wide of the left post, before he later fired over the crossbar from inside the box.

There were appeals for a penalty when Taher Mohamed Taher went down inside the Kitara area, but the referee indicated that play should continue.

Kitara’s first-half attacking opportunities included a free-kick from the left side of the attacking half after Marwan Attia was penalised for a foul. They also earned a throw-in from the left in the attacking half.

After Wahab’s goal, Al Ahly pressed for an equaliser, but Kitara maintained an organised defensive shape. A free-kick for Al Ahly from the right side of the attacking half was delivered by Afsha into the penalty area, where the defence cleared the ball away from danger.

Afsha also took a left-sided corner with a short pass, but the move produced no threat. Al Ahly had four corners to Kitara’s none at that stage, although the earlier first-half count had been three to zero.

Kitara won a corner from the left in the second half. The cross was met and punched clear by Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.

The visitors then created another opening from a right-sided cross by Afsha, but El Shenawy’s opposite number collected the ball safely.

Afsha tried his luck from outside the area, although his effort went straight into the Kitara goalkeeper’s arms. The match then settled into a quieter spell.

The referee added one minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half.