Al-Ahly Sporting Club
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Faltering league champions Al-Ahly travel to Ittihad on Friday in desperate need of a win. Trailing the league leaders by 1 point, lack-lustre Ahly have dropped 4 points from their opening 3 games.
Worrying for fans is the team – brimming with star talent – has failed to find the creative spark in front of goal, which saw them achieve premature ends to the Egyptian Cup and CAF Champions League last month.
Under-fire coach Manuel Jose will be feeling the pressure knowing anything less than a win against Ittihad could see more fans turn against him.
However, he will be boosted by the return of key players: Moataz Eno, Dominuque da Silva and Walid Soliman.
Having named a star-studded 19 man squad for the match this evening, Ahly SHOULD (who knows though) have enough talent for a win.
Prediction: Ahly to win by a goal
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Come Sunday Al-Ahly will once again compete in the group stages of the CAF Champions League, with the hope of once again acquiring their ‘preferred trophy.’
It has been 2 long years since Ahly tasted glory on the African continent, with 2009 being a specifically dismal campaign for Ahly. Knocked out in the round of 16, they then went on to be dumped out of the Confederations Cup. The next year was somewhat better, with Ahly managing to make the semi-finals. However, that campaign will be remembered for Michael Eneramo’s infamous handball, which led to Esperance making the final at the expense of Ahly.
The ghosts of that campaign have reared themselves, with Esperance making up GROUP B, along with Wydad AC and MC Alger.
Ahly’s first game is against Wydad on Sunday, and the prospects look very very good. Coming off of the back of a 36th title (7th in a row) Ahly are in glittering form. With the arrival of Manuel Jose in January they stormed to the league title, fending off rivals Zamalek (who are not in this year’s tournament). The signing of Al-Sayed Hamdy has further bolstered an already formidable front-line consisting of: Geddo, Moteab and Da Silva.
With the absence of TP Mazembe (champions for the past 2 seasons) from this years tournament, Al-Ahly wear the tag of favorites. Will they live up to this, despite not having won an away game for 2 seasons? Sunday’s match will give some indication.
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It’s the Cairo Derby once again, where Al-Ahly will face off against Zamalek, with the winner more than likely to emerge eventual champions of Egypt.
Ahly however, hold a comfortable lead at the top of the log, having gone undefeated under new coach Manuel Jose, and now hold a 5-point cushion over their bitter rivals. Zamalek on the other hand have been faltering, as epitomised by their shock 2-0 loss against Al Masry, meanwhile Ahly was holding off a challenge from Ismaily, coming out as eventual 2-1 winners.
Furthermore, Jose has an impeccable record when it comes to facing Zamalek. Having lead the Red Devils against them 20 times, his record reads: 14 wins, 3 draws and losses.
If Ahly win tonight they will only need a solitary point from their 3 remaining games, in order to be crowned champions of Egypt for a seventh consecutive time. Zamalek should they win, will still remain 2 points behind Ahly and will have a lot more work to do, should they wish to achieve their first league triumph since 2004.
One needs to go all the way back to 2007 to see when Zamalek last triumphed over their bitter foes, while under the coaching of Hassan they have drawn 3 times.
In a strange coincidence, Zamalek stood in the same position (5 points behind Ahly), they won the derby, before going on to claim a last-day-of-the-season win, and have not tasted league success since.
Zamalek’s interim chairman Galal Ibrahim is in a boisterous mood, quoted as saying ““I call on our loyal fans to flood Cairo Stadium on Wednesday and display their utmost support. The fans, board of directors, technical staff and the players need to be united at such a crucial stage of the season. We still have a chance to win the title. People who say that we lost any hopes are just trying to affect our morale before that important game.”
Zamalek will be without midfielder Hassan Mostafa (dislocated shoulder), Mohamed Ibrahim (4 match ban), Mido (ineligibility due to his move to Zamalek), Amr Zaki (apparent rift with the coach).
Meanwhile Ahly will be without Mohamed Shawky and the mercurial Mohamed Abou-treika. As tension builds closer to kick-off, one can only wonder: who will win?
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It was a dismal night for Al-Ahly fans yesterday as they watched their side slump 1-0 vs SuperSport United, at the Peter Mokaba Stadum, in Polokwane.
Correct me if I am wrong, but yesterday could not be classified as a match. The match was so poorly attended a neutral would have thought it was AT LEAST3rd division teams playing, not the winners of South Africa vs the champions of Egypt!
The match was nothing to write home about, except for2 chances which fell to SuperSport. 1st – Dipsy Selolwane’s shot rebounded off the pot in the 7th minute, with the goalkeeper well beaten. 2nd- Jabu Maluleke’s goal from a free kick, in the 28th minute.
Aside from that the match was a complete failure. Al-Ahly failed to make any kind of chances, in fact they had 1 shot on target all night, and that coming from 30 yards out. SuperSport should have been awarded 2 clear penalties, but it was not to be their night.
In summary, this match showed Ahly have a long way to go if they are to regain their African crown, perhaps they could start by winning away from home for once, or better yet scoring.
Nick 9
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Al-Ahly fans have known it since the 2nd-round-draw, as of 2 weeks ago the world has known it, and finally SuperSport United know it – THEY HAVE NO CHANCE OF QUALIFYING FOR THE NET ROUND OF THE CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.
When questioned about his side’s chances of making the next round, Gavin Hunt’s (SuperSport’s coach) response said it all: “And pig’s might fly , let’s see what happens.” Wise words from a man who can take solace in the fact that his side’s dreadful sason is coming to an end.
Having won their domestic league for the past 3 years in a row, injuries and the selling of big name players means this season is an all too different one for SuperSport. They are languishing near the bottom of the table and have been knocked out of the MTN 8, Telkom Knockout, and shortly so too the Champions League.
Coming into this tie, SuperSport are attempting to overthrow a 2-0 loss from the 1st leg and stop an Ahly side eager to carry on their African dreams.
Compounding to SuperSport’s problem is that of their 25-man registered squad, only 13 are available (2 of which are goalkeepers). Their top-goalscorer Antony Laffor is out, and their domestic form is atrocious.
To win this leg SuperSport need to score 3 goals without reply against an Ahly side heavily favoured by history. In the last 5 years of the Champions League Ahly have only lost an away match by a 3 goal margin once all the way back in 2007, when they were beaten by Al Hilal.
By comparison SuperSport’s recent 3-0 win over local club Morok Swallows, was the 1st time they had scored more than 3 goals since November last year.
Many local newspapers are pointing to Egypt’s injury time loss as a key factor in this match, pointing out many of the Ahly players play for Egypt. Irony is only 1 SuperSport player played in that match and he was a defender – Morgan Gould.
To put it into perspective, the writing is on the wall. SuperSport United have no chance of qualifying for the next round, and once again the South African dream of winning the Champions League will be put to bed. When the country’s reigning champions’ coach admits “South African sides don’t care at all about the Champions League,” you can see my point of view.
Prediction: Expect to see another 2 goals past SuperSport without reply
Nick 9
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Taking a commanding lead back to South Africa, Al-Ahly have announced their squad to face the PSL champions.
All the players who faced Bafana Bafana in the AFCON Qualifier on Saturday, remained in Johannesburg.
Notable absentees include Mohamed Barakat who is serving a two-match ban for being sent off in last year’s semi-final, and Emad Motaeb who has a broken rib.
On the other side, SuperSport dangerman Glen Salmon is still out with a knee injury. “I’ve had a bit of bad luck with injury this season; my body can’t take it anymore. I have a calf injury and think that I will sit this one out. I can’t force things, I don’t feel up to it with this injury it keeps on coming back,” he says. His height will be missed in the set pieces, which appear to be SuperSports only way of getting goals, as they failed to breakdown a resolute Ahly defence.
The match will be played on Saturday night at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Ahly’s Squad:
Goalkeepers: Ahmed Adel Abdel-Moneam, Mahmoud Aboul-Seoud
Defenders: Wael Gomaa, Sherif Abdel-Fadil, Mohamed Samir, Hossam Ghaly, Sayed Moawad, Ahmad Al-Sayed, Ayman Ashraf
Midfielders: Ahmed Fathy, Moataz Eno, Mohamad Shawqy, Ahmed Shoukry, Mohamed Abou-Treika, Hossam Ashour Ahmad ‘Manga’ Nabil
Strikers: Mohmed Naggy “Geddo”
Nick 9
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Al-Ahy have confirmed interest in signing Haras El-Hodood star Ahmed Eid Abdel-Malak in the next transfer window. “We welcome Abdel-Malek’s interest to join our team, as he is a talented player who could book his place in the starting eleven quickly,” were the words of Hadi Khashaba (Ahly’s Football Executive Director).
Abdel-Malek has long been a target of Ahly, but the military club continually refused their attempts to sign him, however, a deal now seems apparent after Adbel-Malek expressed last week a desire to join Ahly.
Nick 9
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Having been out of competitive action since the January 25th riots, Al-Ahly shrugged off all form to record a comfortable 2-0 win over reigning South African champions SuperSport United.
Raising both the Egyptian and Japanese flags (in recognition of both countries affected by tragedies) and donning a special Egyptian Flag kit, Ahly took to the field for the 1st time in 54 days.
Buoyed by their 5 consecutive friendly victories, it was Ahly who scored the 1st goal, after Osama Hosny headed home in the 3rd minute after good play between Fathy and Ghaly.
SuperSport was comprehensively outplayed but had their finishing been more accurate they may have scored, yet it was not to be, and in the dying minutes Mauritian striked Dominique Da Silva(new signing from CS Sfaxien) snatched the 2nd goal of the game.
Ahly now take a commanding lead back to South Africa in 2 weeks, but this tie seems all but over.
Nick 9
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Hey Everyone,
In the wake of the calamitious events which threw Egypt into chaos – the fall of Hosni Mubarak – I wish to extend a moment of silence for all of those who gave their lives to the cause.
During this whole period NUMEROUS events have occured. From the calling off of USA vs Egypt, to Egypt dropping 23 places in the FIFA Rankings, Al-Ahly’s CAF Champions League 1st Round opponent – SuperSport United (South Africa) – being decided, and the big one – the Egyptian Cup has been called off. (Shock, horror!) yes that’s right the Egyptian Football Association issued a statement that due to the riots and the necessity to extend the league, there will be no Egyptian Cup for the 2010-2011 season.
Injuries: Sadly these will always be an issue within football and it is sad to confirm Mohamed Nagy Geddo (2 weeks) and Emad Moteab (6 weeks) both picked up injuries in Ahly’s recent friendly matches. But on a happier note Ahmed Hassan returns to full 1st teasm training after a 5-month absence, so he will be a much welcomed addition.
It’s been a while but watch this space as I keep you updated with how long until the league commences once again.
Nick 9
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The political tension in Egypt is riing and finally the soccer is starting to become affected.
‘Cairo – Several hundred demonstrators gathered in a central Cairo square on Saturday demanding the Egyptian president to quit, hours after he had delivered a speech sacking the cabinet and promising to address frustrations.
“Go away, go away,” they chanted, gathering in Tahrir square in full view of the army which had been deployed in the city to quell the revolt. “Peacful, peaceful,” they shouted.
The demonstration was the first clear indication that those behind the street action were not satisfied by the remarks by Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power since 1981.
Egypt Football Association (EFA) has postponed all the matches of Day 16 of the Egyptian Premier League scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
“The EFA board has decided to postpone the first division games that were scheduled for 28 and 29 January. The fixtures will be determined later,” a brief statement on the EFA website announced on Thursday.
Four matches were scheduled to kick off on Friday and three others on Saturday, while Zamalek’s game against Haras El-Hodoud is set to be played on Monday.
Egypt has been stormed by protests since Tuesday and EFA officials revealed earlier in the day that this weekend’s games could be delayed upon the request of the Egyptian police as it would be difficult to secure them.’
Nick 9
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