Egypt’s al-Ahly lifts CAF Super Cup for 4th time

Angola World Cup striker Flavio Amado was the hero Friday when al-Ahly of Egypt confirmed they are the best club on the continent by lifting the African Super Cup a record fourth time.

Amado headed both goals as al-Ahly defeated CS Sfaxien of Tunisia 2-1 in the annual one-off match between the holders of the African Champions League and the African Confederation Cup.

It was the fourth time al-Ahly have lifted the trophy, moving them ahead of fierce Cairo rivals al-Zamalek, while Sfaxien became the first club to lose consecutive Super Cup matches.

African records

The Egyptian club won a record sixth African Champions League last November with a 4-2 aggregate triumph over Cotonsport Garoua of Cameroon and also lifted the now defunct African Cup Winners Cup an unsurpassed four times.

Al-Ahly succeeded despite the absence of injury-plagued midfielder Mohamed Aboutraika, a contender for the 2008 African Footballer of the Year award to be announced Tuesday in Lagos.

Since Emad Moteab was lent to Saudi Arabian club Ittihad Jeddah, 30-year-old Flavio has often been deployed as a lone striker by Portuguese coach Manuel Jose, but the goals continue to flow.

He gave al-Ahly the lead on 47 minutes, Ivorian Blaise Kouassi leveled just past the hour mark and Amado struck again 20 minutes from full-time off another cross by compatriot Felisberto 'Gilberto' Amaral to secure victory.