The Lion of Judah finally roars - two goals for Percy Tau on Al Ahly debut

Percy Tau scored a brace in Al Ahly's 4-0 win over Ismaily. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Percy Tau scored a brace in Al Ahly's 4-0 win over Ismaily. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Published Oct 28, 2021

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Cape Town - Percy Tau’s long-awaited Al Ahly debut turned into a dream outing weeks after he was sidelined by a hamstring injury.

He scored a brace in Al Ahly's 4-0 win over Ismaily in an Egyptian Premier League clash on Wednesday night.

Around the half-hour mark, Tau scored twice in quick succession and was unlucky not to claim a hat-trick after his second-half strike was disallowed because he was adjudged to be offside.

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The scoring feat would have been a sweet moment for Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane, his former Mamelodi Sundowns coach, who raised suspicions of South African favouritism when he signed Tau in a much-publicised move from English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. After Tau's classy effort for the opening goal, Mosimane turned to his supporting staff and gestured with a finger pointing to his head as if to say: 'I know what I am doing'.

After Al Ahly opened their scoring through Ali Maaloul from the penalty spot, Tau was sent clear in the middle of the park some 35 metres out. On his solo run, he turned out defenders inside out, before slipping the ball past opposition goalkeeper Ahmed Abdel-Moneim.

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He marked the joyous moment with a robotic dancing goal celebration, and his teammates joined in.

The crowd were hardly back in their seats when Tau made in 3-0. He was unmarked plumb in front of Ismaily's post when he latched on to a cross from teammate Mohamed Afsha. After gaining control he turned it in at the far post after Abdel-Moneim well out of position. The Video Assistant Referee was needed before the goal was awarded.

He played until eight minutes from the end when he was replaced by Ahmed Radwan.

The sublime form of the 'Lion of Judah' as Tau is nicknamed, will be good news for Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos who has named him in the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ghana and Zimbabwe.

@Herman_Gibbs