Preview: Ahli keen to overcome ENPPI nightmare

Ahli will start one of four decisive league games when they take on ENPPI at the Military Academy stadium on Monday.

كتب : Amro Hassan

الإثنين، 27 أبريل 2009 - 11:50
العجيزي أمام إنبي مرة أخرى
Ahli will start one of four decisive league games when they take on ENPPI at the Military Academy stadium on Monday.

The league holders are currently second in the Egyptian Premier League table with 53 points, one point and one game less than leaders Ismaili.

The Red Devils will be hoping that what happened in 2003 will not be repeated again tonight.

The six-time African champions saw their league dreams collapse when they were exposed to a harsh defeat at the hands of the petroleum side on the final day of the 2003-2002 season.

At the time, a 1-0 win for Zamalek over Ismaili was enough for the White Knights to clinch the title after Ahli were leading the competition's table for most of the season.

Manuel Jose's men will have to do without striker Flavio Amado, who's suspended for the game after receiving three yellow cards against Zamalek on April 23rd.

However, the Portuguese tactician will be boosted by the return of midfielder Mohamed Barakat, who recovered from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the team for over two weeks.

Ahmed Fathi was declared fit to play on Sunday, after the Egypt man shrugged off a minor injury he picked up against Zamalek.

Striker Hani Al-Egeizi might recieve the nod to start in Flavio's absence.

Wounded ENPPI

On the other side, ENPPI enter the clash wounded after Anwar Salama's team lost at home to Harras Hodoud on Thursday.

The game was marred by some controversial refereeing, and Jose himself stated that the Hodoud defeat will be a bigger motive for ENPPI to register a positive result on Monday.

The Egypt Cup finalists will also be without their first-choice striker Vincent Die Fonye.

Mostafa Gala, Islam Awad and Keeper Mahdi Soliman are all injured and won't take part against ENPPI.

ENPPI are fifth in the table with 44 points.