We are the Champions: Africa – CAF Champions League 2013 – Al-Ahly SC

THE CLUB

Al-Ahly Sporting Club was founded in April 1907, and in 2000 was named by CAF as the “African Club of the Century” and after Boca Juniors and AC Milan, that won 18 titles, is actually the third most successful club at international level, with 17 international titles conquered. Anyway both in 2012 and 2013 Egyptian Championship was interrupted because of the tragedy of Port Said (2012) and political instability in the Coutry (2013), but few days ago a new Season tryed to start again. Al-Ahly SC has won so far: 8 CAF Champions League (record), 4 African Cup Winners’ Cup (record), 5 CAF Super Cup (record), 1 Afro-Asian Cup, 36 Egyptian Premier League (record), 35 Egypt Cup (record) and 7 Egyptian Super Cup (record).

THE STADIUM

Cairo International Stadium – Stad El-Qahira El-Dawly

Opened in 1960, it can contain 75.000 spectators, all seated, but mostly not covered. In the past, before the renovation in 2004 when seats were installed, it could hold until 100.000 people, and the record attendance was 120.000 during the Final of 1986 African Cup of Nations, that Egypt won against Cameroon.
It’s situated in Nasr City, suburb of Cairo, and Zamalek SC and Egyptian National Team play on this natural grass pitch as well.

CAF COMPETITIONS

Al-Ahly SC has won 8 CAF Champions League (1982, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013), 4 African Cup Winners’ Cup (1984, 1985, 1986, 1993) and 5 CAF Super Cup ( 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009,2013), being the team that won the most titles in each ot these competiton.
In 2013 CAF Champions League Final, they defeated Orlando Pirates from South Africa.
They played 5 editions of FIFA Club World Cup and in 2006 reached the third place, their best result in the competition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmsZp6Pxezo

THE COACH

Mohamed Youssef

He’s a 43 years old former defender who played in Egypt for Al Ahly, ENPPI and Arab Contractors SC and in Turkey for Denizlispor and Diyarbakirspor, and collected 51 appearances for Egyptian Nazional Team. He had been assistant coach and caretaker of the team for 4 years, and in June 2013 he officially became the manager of the team, and led Al-Ahly SC to conquer 2013 CAF Champions League.

THE SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS

1   Sherif EKRAMY
13 Ahmed ADEL
16 Mahmoud ABOU ELSEOUD
 
DEFENDERS

3   Rabia RAMY
4   Sherif ABDELFADEEL
6   Wael GOMAA
20 Saadeldin SAAD
23 Mohamed NAGUIB

MIDFIELDERS

2   Raheel SABRI
7   AHMED NABIL
8   Shehab AHMED
10 Ahmed SHOKRY
11 Walid SOLIMAN
12 Ahmed KENAWI
19 Abdalla SAID
22 Mohamed ABOUTRIKA
24 AHMED FATHI
25 Hossam ASHOUR
27 TREZEGET

FORWARDS

9   Emad METEAB
17 Amr GAMAL
18 Elsayed HAMDI
26 Dominique DA SYLVA (MAU)

The class of Mohamed Aboutreika, 35, is above all. Some players have played together for a long time and are an important part of National Team as well.
 Among the others we can point out: Sherif Ekramy, goalkeeper, Ahmed Fathi and Sherif Abdel-Fadil, right backs, Wael Gomaa and Mohamed Naguib, central backs, Ahmed Shedid Kenawi and Sayed Moawad, left backs, Hossam Ashour, midfielder, Walid Soliman and Abdallah Said, wingers and Emad Meteb and Ahmed Abdelzaher, strikers.
Anyway the team lacks a bit of phisicity, and few key elements, such as Mohamed Aboutreika, 35, Wael Gomaa, 38, e Sayed Moawad, 34 are getting quite old.

TYPICAL LINEUP

4-2-3-1
Ekramy – Fathi (Abdel-Fadil), Naguib, Gomaa, Moawab – Ashour, Ahmed (Fathi) – Said, Aboutreika, Soliman – Abdelzaher.

THE FANS

Al-Ahly SC can count on one of the biggest ultras Group in Africa, the Ultras Ahlawy, famous for severeal choreographic video on YouTube.
Anyway the team isn’t supported only in the Capital, and there are important groups as well in other cities, such as Ultras Devils in Alexandria.
Other smaller groups are Curva Red Venom and Ultras Red Storm, but all of them are placed in the north stand of the stadium, called Talta Chimal.
In 2012  Al-Ahly’s supporters were assaulted by Al-Masry‘s ones, with stones, knives, spades and sticks, during the tragedy of Port Said, where 79 people died and more than 1.000 were wounded.
Reasons and faults about that event are still debated, we suggest you to visit the page of Wikipedia about that  to know something more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Said_Stadium_riot.
The main rivality is with fellow citizens of Zamalek SC, the second most titled team in the Country, and we assume that relationships with Al-Masry‘s supporters aren’t too friendly.
Average attendance during “routine matches” should be around 10.000, while during the Derbies with aforementioned Zamalek SC and during the most important matches several tens of thousands can be at the stadium.