Al-Ahly Tripoli ended CMCM's hopes with a 3:0 victory in the first preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup on Friday. The Tunisian side struck twice in the opening twenty minutes and added a third shortly after, leaving the hosts with little to show for their efforts. By then, the result was already beyond doubt.
H. El Houni opened the scoring in the twentieth minute, catching the home defence off guard. F. Mayele doubled the advantage two minutes later, and L. Al-Dahri made it three in the twenty-seventh. Three goals in seven minutes, and the contest was over before most spectators had settled in.
The statistics are hard to parse. Both sides registered zero shots on target, zero total passes, and zero possession according to the data supplied. CMCM did pick up one yellow card and managed three corners, while Al-Ahly Tripoli claimed twelve. And here's the thing — when the numbers don't add up, you go back to watching the game.
CMCM's recent form offers little comfort. They lost 7:0 to Azam in October and followed it with another 2:0 defeat. Before that, they had picked up two wins against Porto, but those results now look isolated. The old head in their dressing room couldn't steady the ship against a side that moved with purpose.
Al-Ahly Tripoli's last five matches tell a different story. They drew 0:0 with Assouli, then battered Al-Hams 5:2. A narrow 1:0 win over Abu Salim and mixed results against Renaissance Berkane round out their record. They came into this fixture with something to prove, and they delivered.
The away side now sits in a strong position to progress. CMCM, meanwhile, faces a difficult road ahead with their goal difference already damaged and confidence shaken. The gap between these two sides was clear from the first whistle.