Al Ahly head coach Jess Thorup has shed light on key decisions and internal discussions within the squad following his team’s victory over Young Africans in the CAF Champions League, highlighting the importance of competition, squad depth, and attacking efficiency.
Ahead of the Group B clash, Thorup revealed that he held a crucial meeting with goalkeepers Mohamed El Shenawy and Mostafa Shobeir, a conversation that preceded his decision to start Shobeir in goal while El Shenawy began the match on the bench.
Explaining his approach, Thorup emphasized the need for readiness across the squad during a demanding schedule.
“I held a meeting with El Shenawy and Shobeir, during which I informed them of the importance of competition in every position in the team, because we have many matches coming up and we need all the players to be ready.”
The Egyptian giants cruised to a succumbed to a 2–0 win over Young Africans in their Group B encounter of the Champions League on Friday, a match decided by the brilliance of Trezeguet, who struck twice to secure all three points for the defending champions.
The result came in the third round of the group stage and proved costly for the Tanzanian side’s ambitions.
Attention now turns to the reverse fixture, where Young Africans will host Al Ahly on January 31 as part of the fourth round of the group stage—a match that could significantly shape the standings in Group B.
Following the victory, Al Ahly moved to the summit of the group with seven points, establishing a three-point cushion over their closest challengers, while Young Africans will be under pressure to respond positively in the remaining fixtures as they chase qualification to the knockout stage
