The people's Elephant fall in Aba

But Enyimba must have themselves to blame as they could have wrapped up the game in the first fifteen minutes but for carelessness on the part of their attackers and both selfishness and show boating. As early as the 2nd minute of the game, Joetex Frimpong was freed by a thirty yard defence splitting pass from Muri Ogunbuyi but his shot missed target by inches.

Four minutes later Muri Ogunbuyi tried a thirty yard pile driver that was parried for a corner kick by goalkeeper Al LAory Essam.A minute later Essam again spilled a shot from Joetex Frimpong but Prince Olomu miskicked in front of the empty goal after Muri Ogunbuyi latched on the rebound and laid on for the burly attacker.

A minute later Frimpong was lucky to escape a booking as he caught Mensah Akwetey in the shin. Mensah had no further part to play in the game and was replaced by NAsir Ahmed.Al ahly in the eleventh minute had their first clear chance of the half,walking into a seemingly confused Enyimba defence and Aboutarika found Nabi Ibrahim free at the edge of the box.

NAbi walked into the eighteen yard box and slotted behind Dele Aiyenugba for what would later turn out to be the deciding goal of the match. Despite the goal the champions still had control of the game as Yusuf Mohammed on the quarter mark selfishly shot wide on goal when he was freed by Chiedozie rather than laying on for his strikers.

With five minutes to go in the first half, the Egyptians had their second chance to score when Hassan Rehaman surprsingly made a thirty yard run into the Enyimba box taking out four defenders in the process but Aiyenugba was alert and stopped his shot. At the start of the second half, Enyimba's head coach Okey Emordi kept faith in his starting eleven and Enyimba piled up the early pressure in the first twelve minutes but it was Joetex's miss in the 57th minute that couldhave well been the most unforgivable as he failed to shoot in the six yard box and lost the ball eventually when Muri found sp[ace to free him.

After that Frimpong was taken off for Eric Fasindo who put every foot wrong until the end og the game.On the 66th minute mark, Atanda Shakibu risked injury to stretch full length to chip over the goalkeeper when an Enyimba corner kick caused panic in the Al Ahly goal area. At this point in the game, Al Ahly were just content with knocking the ball around not trying to be too adventurous while the Enyimba players seemed out of ideas, but not without a fight though.

Sensing that the game was slowly slipping away, Emordi introduced Daniel Njoku in place of Chiedozie Johnson and and Ifeanyi Obediah for Atanda Shakibu but still no goal for Enyimba.With twelve minutes to go Muri Ogunbuyi got a loose ball in the box off a corner kick but he blasted wide. Fasindo also got a chance with eight minute left on the clock but he blasted the ball at the keeper right there in the six yard box.

With four minute left to play, Elsa Harosama get a free chance and almost runs past Odey Ogar all the way from the center circle but the big defender recovered on time to clear for a corner With the seconds ticking away, Ahly were now in the drivers seat and had the game under control.

In the 87th minute it was Odey Ogar Enyimba had to thank for clearing a dangerous ball out of their area.A minute later, Harosama again was freed by Sebastiao Dac and almost scores but Dele Ayenugba flung his whole frame at the attacker deflecting the ball from his goal post. Enyimba still had one more chance to redeem themselves with one minute left but Fasindo blasted the ball on the goalkeeper who was already displaced.

But what would have totally killed of the Champions happened just at the dot of full time Aboutarika Mohammed hit the crossbar with Aiyenugba displaced. "The referee was not fair to my team, Coach of Ahly Nationale, Jose Manuel told nigeriasports.com after the match. The ball that went off the cross bar also went past the line, but he would not call the goal. Any wa, its good we won. We can now go back home and prepare for the next match."

Enyimba's chairman, Felix Anyansi Agwu said the attitude of his players did not help matters as key players disappeared from camp few days to the match. "Right now I cannot tell the whereabouts of Emeka Akueme, David Tyekase and Sunday Mba. Even David Abwo who gave his word that he would be here suddenly decided to aty back at home to celebrate Holland 2005. Now what is there to celebrate?" Anyansi asked.

Anyansi however maintained that there was no cause for alarm as Enyimba would put this set back behind them and not just qualify for the semi finals but still win the cup. "We have faced worse times and come out of them so this is nothing to me as far as I am concerned. It is just a mommentary set back and we will rise above it."

By China Acheru, additional report by Chigozie Chukwuleta