Ahly winger Walid Soliman fights for the ball against Espérance at the 2012 CAF Champions League Final (Photo: Al-Ahram)
Ahly will be hoping for an auspicious start against perennial Tunisian rivals Esperance when both sides clash in the CAF Confederation Cup Group A opener at Suez Stadium on Sunday.
In a crunch group that also comprises Mali’s Stade Malien and another Tunisian heavyweights in Etoile du Sahel, defending champions Ahly will be looking to secure maximum points at home games.
Despite the tough mission against Esperance, Ahly could still take heart from their recent record against the Tunisians, who failed to beat their Egyptian rivals in their last three meetings since 2011, including a two-legged Champions League final in 2012.
Ahly could also benefit from the appointment of new management at Esperance, with newly-hired French coach Jose Anigo admitting knowing little about the eight-time Champions League holders.
“I don’t quite have a clear image of Ahly nor their current squad,” Anigo, whose first match at Esperance’s helm comes against Ahly, said in a news conference a few days ago.
“But I know well that Ahly are heavyweights in Africa. This is the first game for me with Esperance, just hope to kick it off in good fashion.”
Team news
Other good news for Ahly caretaker boss Fathi Mabrouk is that Esperance will arrive without their goal-scoring forward Ahmed Akaichi, who netted 10 goals in the domestic league last season, due to disciplinary reasons.
But on the other side, Ahly do not quite enjoy a clean bill of health, with keeper Sherif Ekramy and key defender Saad Samir doubtful for the crucial tie.
Ekramy has been absent since sustaining a knee injury in the last-16 second-leg win over Tunisia's Club Africain, with his playing chances in Sunday’s game still cast in doubt.
Center-half Samir is also a major doubt after suffering an ankle problem in Friday’s training session.
Ahly will also miss playmaker Ramadan Sobhi, who is linked with AS Roma, due to automatic suspension after picking up a second caution against Africain.
Up-and-coming left-back Mohamed Hani will be out as well following his dismissal in the same Africain match while veteran striker Emad Meteb was left out of the squad after being involved in a heated exchange with football director Wael Gomaa.
The Reds, however, will welcome star winger Walid Soliman after recuperating from a hamstring problem.
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