Ahly s Swiss coach Marcel Koller. AFP
The Cairo giants will host the South African side on Wednesday at Cairo stadium in the second leg of the African Football League (AFL) semis.
After losing 1-0 in the first leg in Pretoria on Sunday the Red Devils need to overturn their defeat to advance to the final.
“I am happy that we will play in front of a full capacity crowd at Cairo Stadium, as our fans motivate us and their presence is essential,” Koller told the pre-match news conference on Tuesday.
Koller also criticised the video assistant referee (VAR) system in the first leg, saying it failed to award his team a clear penalty when Percy Tau was fouled inside the box.
“My criticism of the refereeing in the first leg was only because of Percy Tau's ball, which was a clear penalty, as he was pushed. I was only talking about the video referee, not the match referee,” he said.
He urged the VAR officials in the second leg to intervene in cases of doubt as it happens in Europe.
“My message to the referees of tomorrow's match is that the video assistant referee's role is to call the referee in cases of doubt, as is done in Europe, and this is why video technology exists,” he said.
Koller dismissed rumours of a rift with midfielder Emam Ashour, who missed the first leg due to injury, and said he would undergo a medical test before the match to determine his fate.
“There is no rift between Emam Ashour and me, and my relationship with him is good,” he said.
“Emam Ashour was injured in the league match against Ismaily and was in pain. Before travelling to South Africa, I sat down with him and we discussed not pushing him until he recovers. I preferred that he continue his rehabilitation. He participated in training and received a report on his readiness. He will undergo a medical examination today and be available for the match.” he added.
Koller said he would assess the situation of his players during Tuesday’s training session to decide on the best lineup for the match.
“We always try to surprise the opponent, and this is part of our plans. During today's training, I will assess the situation to determine the most suitable players for the match,” he said.
He concluded by saying that his team must be physically and technically fit to overcome Sundowns’ challenge and reach the semi-finals.
“There is no room for errors in this game, We must also be strong, especially in defence. Sundowns did not penetrate our defence much in the first leg, and we were well-organized. This is what is required of everyone.” he said.
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