The defending champions cannot afford to drop points as they try to stay in the title race.
The Red Devils bounced back from a 1-1 draw with ZED FC by defeating Arab Contractors 3-1, leaving them third in the standings with 40 points, three behind leaders Zamalek.
Monday’s match will mark the end of Ahly’s first-round campaign, and the holders will be eager to avoid losing further ground before the decisive stage of the competition.
Under the league’s current format, the top seven teams progress to a mini-league to determine the champions, while the remaining 14 sides enter a separate competition to decide the four relegation places.
Despite the 3-1 victory over Arab Contractors, Ahly produced a shaky performance that frustrated supporters, increasing the pressure on the players to deliver both a win and a convincing performance against Talae El-Geish ahead of the final phase.
Under-fire coach Jess Thorup is expected to rely on in-form winger Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan, who has scored in the last two matches and leads the league’s scoring chart with eight goals.
The Danish coach will have most of his squad available, with the exception of fullback Karim Fouad, who suffered a serious injury against Arab Contractors.
His absence is unlikely to be a major blow, as the 26-year-old has mostly featured as a substitute this season.
Thorup will also need to address defensive vulnerabilities after Ahly conceded twice in their last two games, taking their tally to 17 goals conceded in 19 matches.
Talae El-Geish, meanwhile, come into the match buoyed by back-to-back victories over Haras El-Hodoud and Petrojet.
Their 1-0 win over Haras El-Hodoud ended an 11-game winless run, and the military side will hope to build on that momentum against the defending champions.
Talae El-Geish lie 16th in the table with 19 points and are set to compete in the second group in the league’s split phase.
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