In a friendly match held at the Hamdan bin Rashid Stadium, Al Ahly achieved a 1-1 draw against Hatta FC during their external training camp in the United Arab Emirates, spanning from January 20 to January 28.
Jemal Ma’ruf scored the opening goal for Hatta, but Al Ahly managed to level the score with a goal from Anthony Modeste.
The Frenchman, Wissam Abu Ali, missed a penalty kick opportunity during the match.
The friendly encounter took place amidst subdued celebrations due to the passing of Amr Farouk, the Vice President of Al Ahly Club.
Just days ago, Al Ahly suffered a 2-1 defeat against Saudi’s Al-Akhdoud in another friendly.
Several key players were absent from Al Ahly’s lineup due to their involvement with the Egyptian national team in the Africa Cup of Nations and the Olympic team’s training camp.
Notable names missing from Al Ahly’s roster include Mohamed El-Shenawy, Mohamed Hani, Mohamed Abdel-Moneim, Yasser Ibrahim, Marwan Attia, Emam Ashour, Kahraba, Omar Kamal, as they join the senior national team.
Additionally, Percy Tau, Ali Maâloul, and Aliou Dieng are away representing their respective national teams in South Africa, Tunisia, and Mali.
Hamza Alaa and Kareem Eldibes are part of the Olympic team’s training camp in Dubai.
In light of these absences, Marcel Koeller, Al Ahly’s coach, decided to elevate 13 players from the youth and junior sectors to participate in the team’s training sessions.
The draw against Hatta FC is a part of Al Ahly’s rigorous preparations, navigating through challenges posed by player absences and external commitments.
As the training camp progresses, Koeller aims to fine-tune his team’s performance for upcoming competitions.