After beating ENPPI in the Egyptian premier league on Sunday, Ahly coach Hossam El-Badry revealed that this victory is particularly important following the loss to Haras El-Hodoud last week.

"I thanked the players for their performance throughout the game as victory is important at this time," El-Badry was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

"The ENPPI players did their best to keep the group's lead but their efforts were denied by Ahly players," he added.

Ahly, who are still missing some key players, took an early lead via a close-range effort from defensive midfielder Rami Rabeia; but a goal from Abdallah El-Shahat drew ENPPI level in the 70th minute. Striker Ahmed Abdel-Zaher scored the winning goal against his former club helping the defending champions claim a late 2-1 victory over the Group A leaders.

"I asked the players to concentrate on the game as it is the right way to be victorious,"

The Red Devils conceded their biggest league defeat in six years after losing 3-0 to Haras El-Hodoud in the fifth matchday of the Egyptian Premier League last week.

"I pledged the players to defend themselves after losing to Haras El-Hodoud and to return fighting to the competition again,"

The Cairo giants Ahly, who won the league in 2011, were drawn in the Egyptian Premier League Group A with ENPPI, Haras El-Hodoud, Ghazl El-Mahalla, Beni Suef Telephones, Wadi Degla, Maqassa, Smouha and Gouna.

The win over ENPPI lifted Ahly, who made their worst league start since 2003 after two defeats in their first five matches, to second place in Group A with 12 points, behind leaders ENPPI on goal difference.

Ahly set to face Kenya's Tuskar

Egypt’s Ahly will kick off their defence of their African Champions League title against Kenyan side Tusker in the 32nd round of the CAF Champions League on Sunday.

Tusker set up the match against the seven-time African champions after crushing St Michel United of Seychelles 3-0 in the second leg of the preliminary round for a 7-1 aggregate victory.

"Beating ENPPI will encourage our players before the Tusker game in the African Champions League," El-Badry said.

"I gave defender Wael Gomaa a rest in ENPPI game to prepare him for the champions league kick off; he has recently played a lot of games," he added.

Ahly, who won the prestigious title last year after overcoming Tunisia’s Eseprance in the final, were not obliged to play in the preparatory round and were entered straight in to the 32.

The Red Devils won the African Super Cup last month after beating AC Leopards of Congo 2-1 in Alexandria.

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