Zamalek slam seven goals past Somalis in CAF Champions League

Zamalek of Egypt scored the biggest preliminary round first leg victory in the CAF Champions League this season by overwhelming Dekedaha of Somalia 7-0 in Cairo Friday. 

The goal rampage surpassed the 4-0 triumph of record eight-time champions Al Ahly of Egypt against Atlabara of South Sudan last Sunday. 

Moroccan club Difaa el Jadida hold the CAF Champions League record for a single-leg winning margin after hammering Benfica of Guinea-Bissau 10-0 two years ago.

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Dekedaha are the first Somali participants in the premier African club competition since 1990 with civil strife preventing teams visiting the east Africa nation.

Owing to the ongoing violence, the Mogadishu club must face five-time African champions Zamalek in Cairo again next weekend in the return match.

Zamalek will be eyeing the record victory margin in a two-leg Champions League tie, set by Young Africans of Tanzania when they defeated Mirontsy of the Comoros 14-1 in 2009.

Zamalek hired Serb coach Aleksandar Stanojevic this week and have also made a number of signings, including forward Achraf Bencharki.

The Moroccan, who was loaned by Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal to French second-tier side Lens last season, scored after five minutes at the Petrosport Stadium.

He netted again early in the second half after Zamalek led 3-0 at half-time and late goals from Karim Bambo and Mostafa Mohamed completed the rout.

Zamalek and Ahly are among 14 winners of the competition in contention this season, including 2018 and 2019 champions Esperance of Tunisia.

Originally scheduled for last weekend, the Zamalek-Dekedaha fixture was postponed as it clashed with the Eid al-Adha Islamic holiday.