Al Ahly plan Friday friendly to prepare sidelined and returning players

Al Ahly will play a friendly match on Friday to give fringe players and those returning from injury additional preparation, following a request from head coach Houcine Ammouta.

The Egyptian champions face Smouha on Thursday evening in the third round of the league, but Ammouta wants members of the squad who have been left out for technical reasons, as well as players recovering from injuries, to gain match fitness ahead of upcoming fixtures.

Al Ahly have won their opening two league matches and sit third in the table with six points. Smouha are 17th with one point from a draw and a defeat.

Ammouta has named his squad for the league meeting with Smouha.

The goalkeepers selected are Mohamed El Shenawy, Mostafa Shobeir and Hamza Alaa.

The defenders are Yassin Marei, Hady Riad, Yasser Ibrahim, Amr El Gazar, Karim Fouad, Mohamed Hany and Ahmed Nabil Kouka.

The midfield group includes Ahmed Reda, Marwan Attia, Ali Mahmoud, Mohamed Magdy “Afsha”, Hussein El Shahat, Taher Mohamed Taher, Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” and Achraf Bencharki.

Al Ahly’s attacking options for the match are Soufiane Benjedida, Monsef Bekrar and Aqtay Abdullah.

A number of players will not be involved against Smouha. Akram Tawfik and Karim El Debes remain absent because of injury, while Imam Ashour continues to be left out as one of 10 players considered not to be technically ready.

Omar El Saai has also been omitted from the squad despite coming on as a substitute in Al Ahly’s previous match.

The full list of absentees is Omar El Saai, Akram Tawfik, Imam Ashour, Tawfik Mohamed, Karim El Debes, Ahmed Eid, Ahmed Khaled “Kapoaka”, Omar Sayed Moawad, Mohamed Abdallah, Mohamed Raafat, Achraf Dari, Reda Slim and Mahmoud Salah.

Friday’s friendly is intended to provide those players with competitive minutes and help Ammouta assess their readiness for the next stage of the season. It will also allow Al Ahly to maintain the wider squad’s fitness while the team’s regular league campaign continues.

Ammouta’s side go into the Smouha match with a perfect record after two rounds, while Smouha are seeking their first victory of the campaign after collecting only one point from their opening two games.