Ahly explore new adventure

Saturday Group A AS Real (Mali) vs ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) Group B Ahly (Egypt) vs Nkana (Zambia) Sunday Sewe Sport (Ivory Coast) vs Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) EGYPTIAN GIANTS, Al Ahly start exploring new grounds when they kick off their Orange CAF Confederation Cup group stage campaign entertaining Zambia’s Nkana this Saturday at the Petrosport Stadium in Cairo. The second-tier continental club championship is an unfamiliar terrain for Ahly, record eight time winners of the prestigious Orange CAF Champions League. The ‘Red Devils’ are appearing for the first time at the mini-league stage in their 38-year old continental history. It’s also their first time in as many years to host a competitive game at the Petrosport Stadium, home ground of local rivals ENPPI, after security measures forced the relocation from their familiar Cairo International Stadium and until recently Air Defence Stadium. Another new aspect is the technical department of the Egyptian giants. Interim coach Fathy Mabrouk will have his first taste of continental football since taking over from Mohamed Youssef, who resigned few weeks ago despite guiding Ahly to their eighth CAF Champions League title last year. Mabrouk, 63, and the Youth coach has held the fort temporary twice in the recent past, but has yet to have a feel of a game from the dugout as far as the continental club championship is concerned. It’s worth mentioning that he worked as an assistant to late legendary trainer, Mahmoud El Gohary, when Ahly won their first continental silverware, then African Cup of Champion Clubs (now CAF Champions League) in 1982. “My mission is to put Ahly on the right way till the end of this season”, Mabrouk told Cafonline.com. “We go into the CAF Confederation Cup mini-league with a clear intention; to win our first three games to put a foot at the semis. This is a trophy we have yet to win and we want to add it to our cabinet”. Ahly faces a Zambian Club for the 11th time with a record of 5 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses from the previous 10 games. The only previous meeting against Nkana was 31-years ago at the last four of the 1983 CAF Champions League. After a barren draw in Kitwe, goals from iconic figures Mahmoud El Khateeb “Bibo” and Taher Abu Zaid in the return encounter handed the Cairo-giants passage into the final. “Nkana is a good team. They play with a very fast pace and are very strong physically. Despite losing 5-0 to Zamalek in the Orange CAF Champions League, they recovered quickly and ousted Tunisia’s CA Bizertin in the playoffs, which is a tough mission to achieve. They are very bold and we can never underestimate them”, added Mabrouk. Ahly shot stopper Sherif Ekramy, who has just extended his contract with the Red Devils till 2017 has echoed his manager’s words. “It’s a must-win game. We should start the group stage on a positive note. Nkana’s loss to Zamalek is history and we don’t think of it anymore. We’ll do our best to win”, concluded Ekramy. Nkana arrived in Cairo on Wednesday, and their coach Masauso Mwale is poised about his side’s chances. “We are prepared”, he told Cafonline.com upon the team’s arrival. “We know we are coming back to Egypt after the Zamalek loss. This is a different game altogether, we learnt something there and we want to use the lesson to our advantage. We are definitely ready and our supporters should just believe in the boys”, he concluded. The Group B opener is scheduled to kickoff at 19:00 local time at Petrosport Stadium, in the Egyptian capital suburb of New Cairo. The other Group B fixture is Sewe Sport of Ivory Coast versus Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia on Sunday in Abidjan. In Group A, Malian torchbearers AS Real will lock horns with ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast in Bamako.