EGYPTIAN club Al-Ahly climbed to the top of Group 1 in the African Champions League with a 4-1 home win over Shooting Stars of Nigeria this weekend.
The 1982 and 1987 champions lead Raja Casablanca of Morocco, another team that has won the major continental club competition twice, on goal difference with Hearts of Oak from Ghana three points behind.
Hearts host Raja in the other penultimate-round match and success for the Accra side would leave the three challengers on nine points going into the final matches next month.
Al-Ahly scored at regular intervals in each half through Hisham Hanafy, Ahmed Belal, Hady Khashaba and Alaa Ibrahim before Duke Effiong snatched a late consolation goal.
It was the fourth pool loss for Stars, who have been hampered by a series of cash-related problems, and leaves Nigeria still seeking their first success in the competition.
Esperance of Tunisia, the outstanding club in Africa this year, can clinch first place in Group 2 if they avoid defeat against title holders ASEC in Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.