Ahly, hampered by a myriad of problems both on and off the pitch, are still favourites to reach the African Champions League final for the first time since 2008 at the expense of Nigeria’s Sunshine Stars.
The Egyptian heavyweights, Africa’s most successful club with six Champions League titles under their belt, face the Sunshine Stars away from home in the first leg of the competition’s semi-final, amid an unprecedented dispute between them and their die-hard supporters.
The Ultras Ahlawy, an Ahly fan group that used to be acclaimed for creating a feverish atmosphere inside stadiums, hit headlines for the wrong reasons when its members stormed Ahly’s club headquarters twice during the past two months, escalating their protests against their own team for agreeing to take part in domestic games “before justice is done” in the notorious Port Said case.
The group wants domestic football to be suspended until the perpetrators of Egypt’s worst-ever soccer disaster, which left over 70 fans killed in February, are convicted.
Ahly players sought to ease tensions after releasing a statement praising the fans recently, but it remains to be seen whether they will regain their support in the crucial Champions League clash against debutants Sunshine Stars.
The last time Ahly won the competition they overcame another Nigerian side in the semi-final. They beat Enyimba 1-0 on aggregate to go on and lift the trophy after defeating Cameroon’s Coton Sport in the 2008 final.
The Red Devils, the only Egyptian side to overcome the adverse effects of football stoppage after Cairo foes Zamalek finished at the bottom of Group B following a dismal campaign, are also yearning to win the competition to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup for the third time.
“We miss the atmosphere surrounding the FIFA Club World Cup,” Ahly’s influential defensive midfielder Hossam Ashour was quoted as saying by Ahram Sports.
“Everything there is different; I miss that competition, especially as I featured in all of Ahly’s three World Cup appearances.”
Title holders Esperance, who knocked Ahly out of the competition in 2010 and 2011, face four-time winners TP Mazembe of DRC in the other semi-final.
Injuries
Ahly will have to make do without several key players, including left-back Sayed Moawad and striker Emad Meteb, who are both nursing injuries.
Newly-arrived striker Oussou Konan is also out, leaving coach Hossam El-Badry with a shortage of options upfront while veteran playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika is suspended for skipping the Egypt Super Cup against ENPPI last month to stand by Ultras Ahlawy.
However, Ahly remain overwhelming favourites to brush aside their unfancied opponents, who finished second in Group A with six points from four games, three behind leaders Esperance.
Sunshine Stars are hoping they can replicate the heroics of compatriots Kano Pillars, who famously eliminated Ahly from the Champions League preliminary round in 2009.
“We have huge respect for Ahly… but to say it’s impossible to beat them, I totally disagree. After all, Kano Pillars once defeated them. So in football anything is possible,” midfielder Sunday Emmanuel was quoted as saying on Super Sport.
“I’m confident we can beat them 3-0 in the first leg. That’s the kind of score line we need and we will just wait for the second leg after that. But our focus now is the first leg.
“Really it doesn’t matter that we’ve not played competitive football after the league ended. I also want you to remember that we and Ahly are in a similar situation because their league has been suspended for a while; but I know we will overcome them.”
In what may be a sign of things to come, Ahly said on their website they had never been defeated when South African referee Daniel Bennett, who will preside over Saturday’s match, was in charge of their Champions League games.
Ahram
