Ahly beat Ceramica in final test before Champions League Final

Ahram Online , Monday 29 May 2023

In their last encounter before the highly anticipated Champions League final against Wydad, Egyptian League leaders Ahly delivered an impressive performance, defeating Ceramica Cleopatra 1-0 on Monday.

Hussein El Shahat
Ahly winger Hussein El Shahat celebrates after scoring against Ceramica Cleopatra on Monday. Photo: Ahly twitter account

 

Hussein El Shahat emerged as the hero, scoring the lone goal of the match in the 60th minute. With this victory, the Red Devils extended their lead at the top of the league table to four points ahead of second-placed Pyramids FC.

Now, all attention turns to the forthcoming Champions League showdown as the Cairo giants prepare to face off against Morocco's Wydad in a two-legged final scheduled for 4 and 11 June.

Missed opportunities

Ahly had numerous chances to secure an early lead but failed to capitalize on their dominance, with forward Mahmoud "Karahaba" Abdel-Moneim shouldering the blame. On two separate occasions, the international striker squandered opportunities by narrowly missing the target.

It wasn't until the 60th minute that the hosts finally found a well-deserved breakthrough. El-Shahat intercepted a brilliant pass from Marwan Atteya behind the defense, enabling him to fire a shot at the near post. Initially disallowed for offside, the goal was subsequently validated following a VAR review.

Marcel Koller's men continued to apply pressure, with South African striker Percy Tau and substitute Mohamed Sherif missing further scoring opportunities. Nonetheless, they managed to secure a narrow yet solid victory.

The next destination for Ahly is the Cairo International Stadium, where they will compete in the Champions League final on Monday, 4 June.

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