Maaloul is ready for Sundowns clash

Al-Ahly football team continues their daily training at the University of Technology Stadium, which is about 25 minutes away from the delegation hotel, and will train on the same stadium till their last training at "Lucas Moribi" stadium, which hosts the match.

Maaloul, who missed the past training sessions, felt a strain in the front muscle, but a slight strain that will not prevent the player from the important game next Saturday.

Mahmoud Al-Khatib, head of Al-Ahly and head of the delegation, is keen to always be with the team players in order to support them before the upcoming meeting.

For his part, Sami Komsan, the assistant coach of the team’s coaching staff, said that all things are going well inside the team’s delegation before the expected and important confrontation.

The assistant coach stressed that the team went a long way against Sundowns in Cairo and made a strong performance, but the second and decisive half remains next Saturday, which is a knockout run and at the same time qualifying for the semi-finals, and needs to focus more.

Al-Ahly's list includes: Muhammad Al-Shennawi, Ali Lutfi, Mustafa Shoubir, Mahmoud Mitwalli, Rami Rabia, Yasser Ibrahim, Walid Suleiman, Ayman Ashraf, Hussein Al-Shahat, Aliu Diang, Amr Al-Sulaya, Marwan Mohsen, Muhammad Magdi Afsha, Ali Maaloul and Ahmed Al-Sheikh, Alio Badji, Ahmed Fathi, Junior Ajay, Geraldo and Mohamed Hani.

Al-Ahly beat Sundowns 2-0 in the first leg match that was held at Cairo Stadium last Saturday night.

The opening goal came from a wonderful play between the left flank stars Maaloul and Junior Ajayi who passed the ball to the Tunisian to put him one on one situation with the goalkeeper who failed to stop Maaloul's shot.

The referee awarded the Red Devils a penalty minutes later as Sundowns defender tackled Al Ahly striker, Aliou Bedji.

Al Ahly first choice penalty-taker Maaloul converted the spot kick to make the score 2_0.

The two teams will meet again at the second leg on 7 March in Pretoria.