Ahli seek away victory over Dynamos

السبت، 30 أغسطس 2008 - 00:27

كتب : Hatem Maher

Ahli will be looking for a win over Dynamos Harare in Zimbabwe to move a step closer to reaching the CAF Champions League semis for the fourth consecutive season.

A victory for the Red Devils, who won the elite competition twice in the last three years, would put them in the driving seat for a last-four berth.

Ahli are in charge of Group A with seven points, three ahead of second-placed and arch-rivals Zamalek with three matches to go.

Dynamos are third with three points while Ivory Coast's ASEC Mimosas lie further behind on two points.

Ahli, who needed a last-gasp strike from Mohamed Abou-Treika to defeat Dynamos 2-1 in Cairo earlier this month, are unlikely to enjoy an easy ride against the Zimbabweans.

"The match will be difficult," Ahli assistant coach Hossam Al-Badri told the club's official website.

"Dynamos are desperate to claim all three points to stand a chance of progressing beyond the group stage."

Five-time African champions Ahli do not have injury worries ahead of the anticipated game.

Skipper Shadi Mohamed had a knee complaint following Ahli's goalless draw with Arab Contractors, but he should be fit to face Dynamos.

Reports claim that star playmaker Abou-Treika may start Saturday's match from the bench.

Ahli's technical staff fears the Egyptian international might aggravate a troublesome knee problem if he played on the artificial turf.

Dynamos Injuries

Unlike Ahli, Dynamos approach the match with a depleted squad.

Veteran striker Murape Murape, who is considered one of the mainstays of Dynamos' squad, sustained an injury last Sunday.

Tafadzwa Maingirec has disappeared while regular midfielder Desmond Maringwa remains on the sidelines due to injury.

"We are having problems. We have more injuries and Murape is definitely out of this game," Dynamos coach David Mandigora was quoted as saying by Zimbabwean paper Chronicle.

"Maringwa has not recovered and Maingire is nowhere to be found.

"It's stressing us but we will just have to cope with it. We had a similar problem in Egypt but there is nothing we can do about it."

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