Ahly's winger Percy Tau (L) fights for the ball with Simba left-back Mohamed Hussein during the first leg game of the African Football League quarterfinal. (CAF official website)
The Cairo giants were involved in a captivating 2-2 draw with Simba at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium on Friday.
Ahly's Swiss coach, Marcel Koller has rued his team's chances in the first leg but still sees the resut positive.
"We performed well in the first half and missed several scoring chances. In the second half, we retreated and allowed Simba to get back into the game," Koller said during the pre-game press conference.
"In general, we achieved a positive result," he added.
Ahly will receive a boost with the return of Tunisian left-back Ali Maaloul, who missed the first leg, along with defender Mohamed Abdel-Moneim, as they have both recovered from leg injuries.
Additionally, defender Mahmoud Metwally, who has been absent from the squad since the start of the season, has returned to training.
On the other hand, Simba coach Roberto Oliveira hinted at the possibility of starting young players in the second leg, aiming to provide them with valuable experience against Ahly in Cairo.
"We respect Ahly, and I believe they also respect us as we are among the best seven teams on the continent," Oliveira mentioned during a press conference.
If Ahly advances to the semifinals, they will face the winner of the match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Petro Atletico. Sundowns secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg.
The AFL, introduced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in collaboration with FIFA, showcases eight teams from across the continent, including TP Mazembe from DR Congo, Esperance from Tunisia, Enyimba from Nigeria, and Wydad from Morocco.
The AFL title holder will be rewarded with a prize money of $4 million, the highest in continental clubs competitions.
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