Ahly Midfielder Trezeguet celebrating after scoring a goal during the match with Arab Contractors. Photo courtesy of Ahly.
Winger Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan opened the scoring for the Red Devils in the first half, while Man of the Match Emam Ashour doubled the lead in the 72nd minute.
Despite a late consolation goal for the Mountain Wolves by Mohamed Salem, Ahly sealed the victory with an own goal in stoppage time.
Ahly’s Danish coach Jess Thorup made five changes to the starting XI that drew 1-1 against ZED, rotating his squad, handing starts to goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, Malian midfielder Aliou Dieng, and wingers Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed and Trezeguet, both of whom appeared as substitutes in Saturday’s stalemate, and fielded Karim Fouad at right-back.
As expected, the Red Devils dominated possession and controlled the tempo, though they initially struggled to break down a well-organised and compact Arab Contractors defense.
Thorup was forced into an early tactical shift just nine minutes in, when Ahmed Eid replaced Karim Fouad after the latter suffered a knee injury.
The first real opening came in the 15th minute when Ashour’s long ball set up striker Marwan Osman one-on-one, but keeper Mahmoud Abul-Saoud reacted quickly to clear.
Minutes later, a golden opportunity went begging when Ashour opted to pass rather than shoot from a tight angle; the resulting cross from Zizo was comfortably gathered by Abul-Saoud.
Ashour shines as Ahly seal crucial win
The breakthrough finally arrived five minutes after the half-hour mark, as Ashour turned provider, whipping in a cross from the left that Trezeguet met with a clinical header from close range to put Ahly ahead.
Arab Contractors responded with increased pressure before the break. Ahmed Nader Hawash delivered a dangerous cross from the right that the Ahly defense partially cleared, only for the rebound to be fired back in and eventually caught by Shobeir.
Just before the interval, Dieng attempted a long-range effort that went wide of the post.
The visitors thought they had equalised in the 51st minute through Tunisian midfielder Ahmed Ouled Behi, but a VAR review disallowed the goal for offside.
Sensing the game was slipping, Thorup injected fresh blood in the 66th minute, bringing on Achraf Bencharki and Mohamed Ben Rhomdane for Dieng and Zizo.
The changes paid off six minutes later when Bencharki found Ashour in the area. The midfielder, who was later awarded Man of the Match, fired a thunderous right-footed strike into the back of the net.
Arab Contractors refused to surrender and pulled one back five minutes from time. A Mohamed Adel cross found substitute Mohamed Salem, who struck a powerful effort past the helpless Shobeir.
Arab Contractors pushed for a dramatic equaliser, and Hussein Faisal nearly found it in added time, but his shot was saved by Shobeir.
Ahly eventually put the game to bed when Hussein El-Shahat’s shot deflected off defender Ibrahim El-Kadi and the post before trickling over the line.
The match ended on a sour note for the visitors as Mostafa Gamal was sent off in the final minute.
Despite the win, Ahly remain in third place with 40 points, level with Pyramids FC and leaders Zamalek, who face Ittihad of Alexandria on Friday, trailing only on goal difference.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: