Percy Tau rounded off the scoring as Al Ahly got their 2023 FIFA Club World Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 3-0 triumph over Auckland City on Wednesday.
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Marcel Koller remains unbeaten as manager of the Club of the Century as his side opened their campaign at the global showpiece with an emphatic win over the New Zealand-based outfit.
What started off as a slow-paced encounter burst into life towards the end of the first 45 minutes, when Hussien El Shahat opened the scoring for the record Egyptian champions as they went into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Al Ahly would pick up right where they left off as they pushed to double their lead early in the second 45, and this would come courtesy of the club's top goalscorer so far this season in Mohamed Sherif.
The 26-year-old calmly slotted past Auckland City goalkeeper Conor Tracy in the 56th minute as the north African giants continued to assert their dominance in the match.
Tau and Mahmoud Kahraba would come on in place of Ahmed Abdelkader and Sherif, respectively, late in the second half and the substitutes had an almost immediate impact. The pair combined with some intricate play to put Tau through on goal and he found the back of the net to make it 3-0 to the 10-time CAF Champions League winners.
Percy Tau ???? comes off the bench to score a sublime team goal and make it 3-0 to Al Ahly against Auckland Citypic.twitter.com/F9AgPdRtM4
— Kamogelo Motecwane (@OfficialKLM_) February 1, 2023
The match in Morocco was only the South African's second appearance for the Egyptian side since recovering from a torn muscle earlier this season, an injury that saw him miss eight league fixtures.
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The Witbank-born attacker is now Al Ahly's second top goalscorer for the 2022/23 campaign with his three goals in all competitions.
Koller's men will now face CONCACAF Champions League winners Seattle Sounders in the second round of the tournament this weekend.
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