Al Ahly secured a 3-0 win over Coton Sport in their CAF Champions League clash in Cairo on Saturday evening to keep their knockout stage qualification hopes alive.
Bafana Bafana star Percy Tau was named in the starting eleven once again by head coach Marcel Koller and looked lively but barely had a sniff at goal as his role has clearly been altered as a creative outlet for the side rather than their go-to forward for goals.
But it took just 52 seconds for the Red Devils to take the lead at the Al Salam Stadium when Taher Mohamed set up Mohamed Sherif for a stunning opener with his left foot which left Gadin Allambatnan flailing.
Big-money January signing Ahmed Kendouci doubled the lead just before the break with his first goal for the club, with Maâloul turning provider once more for his diving header.
The only blip for the Egyptians was the injury to Sherif, who limped off in the opening half and was replaced by Shady Hussein.
The record-ten-time Champions controlled proceedings in the second half and got the job done with substitute Rafaar Khalil adding third in second-half stoppage time, the teenager with his first-ever goal in the competition.
It marked their first three points in Group B and moved to four points, two behind second-placed Al Hilal and three behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns after three games played.
Ahly will now turn their attention to the return fixture against Sundowns in Tshwane on 11 March at the Loftus Versveld Stadium.
