Tau And Al Ahly Overpower Urawa In Playoff - iDiski Times
Percy Tau has claimed his second bronze medal at the FIFA Club World Cup after scoring in Al Ahly’s 4-2 win over Urawa Red Diamonds on Friday.
The CAF Champions League champions started the game on the front foot, with a penalty shout after Al Ahly striker Kahraba was brought down. United States-born referee Tori Penso stood firm and confirmed there was no penalty.
The Egyptian side kept the foot on pedal with some good combination play between Percy Tau and Emam Ashour which Hussein El Shahat ended up placing over the crossbar. After piling on the pressure, the deadlock was broken within 19 minutes. A shot from Mohamed Hany from outside the box was saved by Urawa Reds goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, Yasser Ibrahim pounced to make it 1-0.
Six minutes later, Bafana Bafana striker Tau made it 2-0 after an error from Reds defenders. The 11th time CAF Champions League champions looked home and dry and started to dictate the temper of the game.
In the 43rd minute, Jose Kante pulled one back for the Japanese champions to make it 2-1. The 33-year-old finished well low to the right-hand corner of Mohamed El-Shenawy.
Urawa Reds started the second half with a high pressing game which forced Al Ahly goalkeeper El-Shenawy into a mistake, but Bryan Linssen failed to convert hitting the side net. A quick transition gave Al Ahly an opportunity to extend the lead, a shot from Hany from outside the box but Nishikawa was equal to the task.
In the 52nd minute, VAR was involved after a header from Linssen hit Hany’s hand, Penso went to check the monitor and confirmed the penalty. Denmark defender Alexander Schloz stepped up and converted to level matters 2-2.
But Al Ahly restored the lead just before hour mark through a great shot from Ali Maaloul which deflected before going into the net 3-2. In the 62nd minute Ahmed Koka thought he had restored the two-goal caution after a great delivery from Ali Maaloul but it was ruled offside.
With 18 minutes to go, Hany played a cross into the box, Taher Mohamed was brought down and referee pointed into the stop for penalty. Maâloul stepped up, but his penalty was easily saved by Nishikawa and kept Reds into the game.
But Maâloul wrapped up the result in stoppage time, scoring from a free kick to get Ahly’s fourth goal.
