Photo courtesy of Al Ahly FC
The Egyptian champions were held to a goalless draw against JS Kabylie, securing progression with nine points at the top of the group, eliminating their Algerian hosts, who remain on three points with one match left.
Defender Yassin Marei said the draw had achieved the team’s primary objective, underlining its significance in the broader campaign.
“We were aiming to win, but the most important thing was qualification,” Marei told the club’s official website, describing the result as “a major step toward achieving the title we are seeking”.
Marei added that attention had already turned to the final group-stage match against Morocco’s AS FAR, which will determine the group winners.
“All matches in the CAF Champions League are extremely difficult,” he said, noting that the squad was accustomed to the pressures of a congested schedule and pledged to “give our best in the upcoming matches”.
Right-back Mohamed Hany echoed those sentiments, stressing that Ahly had met their target against a determined opponent.
“We managed to draw with a team that was fighting until the last breath to qualify,” he said, adding that the squad’s experience helped it cope with the challenging atmosphere in Algeria.
“Our goal is to qualify as group leaders in the match against AS FAR,” Hany said, pointing out that securing results away from home had become routine for a side long used to continental competition. He also highlighted a key defensive moment late in the match, when he blocked a goal-bound effort to preserve the draw.
Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir praised the team’s defensive organisation and management of a demanding phase of the season. “We delivered a good defensive performance and achieved the main objective by qualifying, despite not winning the match,” he said, adding that the technical staff were focused on recovery amid successive fixtures and travel.
Ahly will host AS FAR in the final round with the top spot still at stake. The Moroccan side moved to second place on eight points after defeating Young Africans 1-0, while the Tanzanian club remain third on five points.
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