Ahly players celebrate after striker Marwan Osman scored in the 1-0 victory over Smouha in the Egyptian Premier League on Monday. Photo: Ahly's official Facebook account.
Despite a hard-fought 1-0 win over Smouha on Monday, courtesy of a first-half strike from Marwan Osman, the Red Devils currently sit third in the league table with 36 points from 17 games, trailing leaders Zamalek and second-placed Pyramids FC by just a single point.
The fixture offers a golden opportunity for Danish tactician Jess Thorup’s men, as Zamalek and Pyramids FC scheduled to go head-to-head in a high-stakes encounter on Sunday, a victory for Ahly over ZED FC would put them in a position to reclaim the top spot should their rivals cancel each other out in a draw.
Thorup’s squad receives a massive boost with the return of veteran defender Yasser Ibrahim, who is available for selection after serving a one-match suspension for accumulated yellow cards. His return is timely, as fellow defender Amr El Gazar has been ruled out of the clash due to a muscle injury sustained in training.
In a further boost to the Red Devils' attacking options, star duo Ahmed 'Zizo' Sayed and Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan could feature in the matchday squad as both players returned to full group training this week after successfully completing their rehabilitation programs for hamstring injuries. While they may not start, their presence on the bench provides Thorup with significant firepower.
However, the Cairo giants will likely remain without defender Yassin Marei, who is still recovering from a muscle strain suffered during the Smouha clash.
Winter arrival Hadi Reyad, who impressed in his cameo appearance on Monday, is tipped to maintain his place in the heart of the defense alongside the returning Ibrahim.
ZED FC, on the other hand, currently eighth in the standings with 25 points, are reeling from a late 2-1 loss to Zamalek on Tuesday.
Despite the defeat, Mohamed Shawky’s side showed great character, with Raafat Khalil equalizing before a late Ahmed Rabie winner settled the tie for the White Knights.
Ahly have a perfect head-to-head record against ZED FC since their promotion to the top flight, winning all five previous encounters between the two sides across all competitions, scoring ten goals while conceding just two, with their most recent meeting in November 2024 ending in a narrow 1-0 victory for the title holders.
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