Ahly's assistant coach Mohamed Youssef (Photo: the club's official website)
Ahly's assistant coach Mohamed Youssef says the team's recent success in the domestic league will boost the Reds' for a good result in their return match against Ethiopia's Jimma Aba Jifar in the African Champions League.
"The return match against Jifar will be a difficult one," Youssef was quoted as saying by Ahly's official website on Wednesday.
Runners-up Ahly kicked off their Champions League campaign on Friday when they defeated their Ethiopian counterparts 2-0 in Alexandria, in the first leg of the prestigious competition's round of 32.
The Cairo giants will be hosted by Jimma Aba Jifar for the return match on Friday.
"We are looking forward achieving a positive result in the return match to continue our campaign successfully," the Ahly coach explained.
"The match in Ethiopia is of the same importance as the first one in Alexandria. It will be like a second half of one game.”
"The technical staff have confidence in our players' ability to achieve a good result; that will guide the team to the group stage. Our recent victories in the domestic league, besides restoring confidence, both raised the players' motivations to continue the fine run at the continental level," Youssef concluded.
Ahly sealed their fourth straight league win on Monday, defeating Nogoum FC 2-0 to sit fifth in the Egyptian Premier League table with 23 points, 12 points behind leaders and arch-rivals Zamalek, who have played three more matches.
On Sunday, Ahly management announced they had signed Uruguayan tactician Martin Lasarte on a one-and-a-half-year contract. He will replace Patrice Carteron after the Frenchman was sacked in November over the loss of the African Champions League final against Tunisian Esperance and the team’s exiting of the Zayed Champions Cup.
Ahly introduced the 57-year-old coach at a press conference on Monday, and he is to officially lead the team next week.
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