Match Facts:
Full time: Maqassa 0-2 Ahly
Scorer(s): Abdel-Zaher 69′, Islam Roshdi 86′
Lineups:
MCDR: Mahmoud Hamdi, Ahmed El-Sayed, Abdel-Hamid Sami, Mohamed Aboul-Magd, Mohamed Wahid (Ahmed El-Sheikh 81′), Abdallah Farouk, Hani Saied, Omar Nagdi, Ahmed Sami, El-Sayed Hamdi (Amr Barakat 61′), Wael Farrag (Saied Mourad 72′)
Al Ahly: Ahmed Adel Abdel-Moneim, Sabri Rahil, Saad Samir, Sherif Abdel-Fadil, Bassem Ali, Hossam Ashour, Hendrik Helmke, Ramadan Sobhi, Karim Bambo (Mohamed Rezk 20′), Mohamed Nagy ‘Gedo’ (Saladdin Saied), Ahmed Abdel-Zaher (Islam Roshdi 77′)
Yellow card(s): Hani Saied 37’/ Karim Bambo 10′, Helmke 31′, Gedo 67′
A depleted Ahly side maintained their fine run under coach Fathi Mabrouk after two second-half goals gave them a 2-0 victory over Maqassa on Wednesday which put them in pole position to finish as runners up in the Egyptian Premier League.
The Red Devils, missing a host of key players through injuries and suspensions, conceded that it’s difficult to catch runaway leaders and arch-rivals Zamalek but there is still the second place to play for as it earns qualification for the prestigious African Champions League.
Striker Ahmed Abdel-Zaher, who was guilty of wasting a golden chance earlier, broke the deadlock nine minutes past the hour mark and substitute Islam Roshdi, making a rare appearance, added a late second.
Ahly, who had to do without the likes of skipper Hossam Ghaly and influential midfielder Mahmoud Trezeguet among others, secured their fourth win out of five league matches under Mabrouk, who took over following the sacking of Spaniard Juan Garrido last month.
They lie third in the league table with 64 points, behind second-placed ENPPI on goal difference but the latter, who defeated Masry 3-1, played three extra matches.
Watch the goals here:
