Both sides have four points from two matches. Ahly opened their campaign with a 4-1 win over Algeria’s JS Kabylie before drawing with AS FAR in Morocco.
Young Africans began with a 1-0 victory over AS FAR and were later held to a goalless draw away to JS Kabylie.
“Friday’s game is against a team with the same number of points as us, so it will be a tough challenge,” Ahly coach Jess Thorup told a pre-match news conference on Thursday.
“A win would put us on the right track.”
Ahly have produced improved performances under Thorup, who replaced Spaniard Jose Riveiro in October following a run of poor results.
During the Africa Cup of Nations, Ahly were eliminated from the New Capital Cup and knocked out of the Egypt Cup in the round of 32 after a shock 2-1 defeat by second-division side We.
“What happened in the past period was unfair. We were forced to play the Egypt Cup without 17 players. I believe no club could accept such a situation,” Thorup said.
The Red Devils have now welcomed back their international players, although they only returned to training on Wednesday.
“The players came back on Wednesday but they showed a great attitude and are capable of producing a strong performance against the Tanzanians,” Thorup added.
Despite signing four players in the winter transfer window, only fullback Ahmed Eid and forward Marwan Othman were included in the squad for Friday’s match.
Moroccan fullback Youssef Belammari and defender Amr El-Gazzar were left out.
On the other hand, Young Africans are also targeting victory to boost their qualification hopes.
“We will play to win; that is our strategy for Friday,” coach Pedro Goncalves said.
“I know it will be difficult against a great team, but if you want to make history on the continent, you have to achieve big results.”
“Our team has the quality and is capable of getting the result we want,” he concluded.
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