Former Enyimba winger Anayo Iwuala was in action for Algerian club Belouizdad who pipped Egyptian giants Zamalek 1-0 away, in their first game in Group D of this season’s CAF Champions League, Abbeylivenetwork.com reports.
Iwuala was in the starting eleven for before going off in the 92nd minute.
Entering the game with just one win in their past eight games, Zamalek were also keen on picking up their first Champions League group-stages win since April 2021, failing to win in their past six.
The first-half witnessed just a few chances from both sides and eventually finished in a 0-0 draw without any real chances from the hosts.
In the 55th minute, CR Belouizdad were awarded a penalty after Houssem Mrezigue’s effort caught off Nabil Dunga’s arm inside the penalty area. Cameroon’s Leonel Wamba stepped up and sent Awad the wrong way to give the Algerians a 1-0 lead.
Six minutes later, Zizo was sent through on goal, but was denied by goalkeeper Alexis Guendouz, before Akram Bouras almost doubled his side’s lead in the 72nd minute.
Islam Belkhir almost killed off the tie when he found himself one-on-one with Awad, but the latter managed to deny him from close range.
Dunga thought he grabbed a late equaliser when he pounced on Abdelshafy’s cross, but his header went just inches wide of Guendouz’s post.
It is a third consecutive wins on the road for Belouizdad who last tasted defeat on October 2022.
