Rami Rabiea and veteran Mohamed Barakat scored for the Cairo Red Devils after half-time at the Borg El Arab Stadium before a goal 12 minutes before time by Rudy Guelord Bhebey-Ndey triggered a tense finish.

Rabiea claimed his first senior goal with a low shot and Barakat got the second by finishing off good work by Abdullah Al Saied.

Ahly has won five of six Super Cup matches - an annual showdown between the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup winners - with the lone loss coming against Cairo neighbours Zamalek in their first appearance in 1994.

Victory added a much-needed $75000 to Ahly's bank account as the security-related cancellation of domestic football last year cost all 18 top-flight Egyptian clubs dearly.

Leopards pocketed $50000 and the result confirmed their transition from African nonentities to a side able to challenge the best clubs on the continent.