Peter Shalulile © Backpage Pix
Al Ahly shall be wanting to make use of their house floor benefit within the CAF Champions League semifinals, once they lock horns with Mamelodi Sundowns on the Cairo Worldwide Stadium for the second leg on Friday night.
Kick-off is at 6pm CAT (SA, GMT+2)
CURRENT FORM
The 2 sides met for the primary leg on the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa final weekend and performed to a goalless draw. Sundowns have hit a little bit of a stoop domestically, as they had been knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by Kaizer Chiefs.
However, Al Ahly misplaced their most up-to-date Egyptian League Cup conflict 2-1 towards Pharco and are trailing Pyramids by 4 factors in second place within the Egyptian Premier League desk.
WHAT WAS SAID
Al Ahly head coach Marcel Koller was not too disillusioned with the goalless draw within the first conflict and believes his gamers can end the job in Cairo.
“We didn’t enable the opponent to regulate the sport. We’re totally conscious that this match represents solely half of the present stage,” Koller mentioned.
“There’s nonetheless one other half to be performed in Cairo, and we should keep extremely centered within the second leg to succeed in the ultimate.
“Possession just isn’t essential if it doesn’t result in any profit. Al Ahly created a number of possibilities, one in all them hit the crossbar. And we had been extra harmful general.”
In the meantime, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says that he believes they will nonetheless beat Al Ahly within the Champions League and courageous harsh situations in Cairo on Friday.
“I nonetheless imagine we are able to beat Al Ahly as a result of we did not lose to them on this match [first leg]. There’s a lot to be performed for nonetheless and we are able to try this out of perception and capability for what we are able to placed on the pitch,” Cardoso mentioned.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Emam Ashour, Al Ahly – The midfielder is a joint top-scorer within the CAF Champions League this season and the Egyptians shall be seeking to the 27-year-old to offer the offensive risk wanted to advance to the ultimate.
Peter Shalulile, Mamelodi Sundowns – Recognized for his deadly accuracy in entrance of aim and with three Champions League targets to his identify, the Namibian striker may pose a risk to the Al Ahly defence ought to he begin this match.
