‘Was Al Ahly a small team?’ – Ahmed Shobier stunned by El Qanah draw

Ahmed Shobier has criticised Al Ahly’s players after they were held to a 3-3 draw by El Qanah in the Egyptian Premier League on Wednesday.

Al Ahly were trailing 3-2 until the third minute of added time, when Morocco international Achraf Dari scored to rescue a point for the Cairo club.

The result prompted anger among Al Ahly supporters and officials, who were unhappy with the team’s performance. Speaking on radio, former Al Ahly goalkeeper Shobier questioned the side’s approach at Cairo International Stadium.

“Al Ahly were playing El Qanah at Cairo Stadium. What would normally happen? Al Ahly would push from the edge of the penalty area,” he said.

“But what is not normal is for them to drop back to a third of their own half, or even halfway inside it. Is Al Ahly a small team that has to defend after scoring a goal? It is very strange and unusual.

“When the ball comes back off the defence or the goalkeeper, there is nobody to clear it and get it away. That is the natural thing to do, but no – everyone was just standing and looking at each other.”

Shobier said he had been surprised by Al Ahly’s lack of intensity and concentration, while praising El Qanah for their display.

“I swear I was watching the Al Ahly and El Qanah match in a state of shock,” he said. “Al Ahly had no pressure, no spirit, no determination to win the ball back and not even enough concentration when passing.

“I salute El Qanah for what they produced.”

He argued that El Qanah had been unlucky not to win the match, despite Al Ahly having greater attacking possession and creating more going forward.

“To be honest, El Qanah lost two points rather than gained one,” Shobier said. “Yes, Al Ahly attacked more and did everything else, but they scored the equaliser in the final two minutes.

“El Qanah were the better side because they had been behind, managed to come back once and then again, and went 3-2 ahead.”

Shobier was particularly critical of the third goal conceded by El Qanah. He described the sequence as extraordinary, saying goalkeeper Mohamed Shaaban had launched a long kick forward with only one El Qanah player, Mohamed Hamdy Zaky, challenging among three Al Ahly defenders.

“The ball was played by goalkeeper Mohamed Shaaban, who kicked it long. There was only one El Qanah player, Mohamed Hamdy Zaky, flying into the middle of the defenders,” he said.

“One player against three. You are supposed to cover him so he cannot go through one-on-one. But instead you continue and then put the ball into your own goal. What is that? Honestly, it is basic football that was missing.”