Imam Ashour among Al Ahly absentees for Eastern Company Enppi opener

Al Ahly football director Wael Gomaa has confirmed that Imam Ashour will miss the club’s league opener against Eastern Company Enppi because he is not yet fully fit.

Al Ahly face Eastern Company Enppi on Sunday evening in the opening round of the league campaign, with manager Hussein Amouta also set to be without a number of other players.

Gomaa told FilGoal.com: “Imam Ashour will miss the Eastern Company Enppi match because he is not ready.”

He added: “Yassin Marei is absent through suspension, while the rest of the absences are technical decisions by the team’s coach, Hussein Amouta.”

The players unavailable to Al Ahly for the match are Imam Ashour, Yassin Marei, Tawfik Mohamed, Ahmed Reda, Omar El-Saai, Omar Sayed Moawad, Mohamed Raafat, Reda Slim, Achraf Dari, Ahmed Eid, Ahmed Khaled “Kabaka”, Mohamed Abdullah and Mahmoud Salah.

Amouta has named a squad containing 21 players for the fixture.

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy, Mostafa Shobeir and Hamza Alaa.

Defenders: Hady Riad, Yasser Ibrahim, Amr El Gazzar, Mohamed Hany, Karim Fouad and Karim El Debes.

Midfielders: Akram Tawfik, Ahmed Nabil “Koka”, Marwan Attia, Ali Mahmoud, Mohamed Magdy “Afsha”, Ahmed Sayed “Zizo”, Taher Mohamed Taha and Hussein El Shahat.

Forwards: Soufiane Benjedida, Moncef Bekrar, Oktay Abdallah and Achraf Bencharki.

Five new signings are included in Amouta’s selection for the opening match. They are Moroccan forward Soufiane Benjedida, Algerian forward Moncef Bekrar, Ali Mahmoud, Oktay Abdallah and Akram Tawfik.

Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” has also been named after recovering from the fatigue he suffered during Al Ahly’s friendly match against Barcelona.

The inclusion of Zizo provides Al Ahly with an additional attacking option, while the squad also features several new arrivals as Amouta prepares for the start of the league season.

The absences of Ashraf Dari and Reda Slim mean that Al Ahly will be without two further experienced options, while Yassin Marei is unavailable specifically because of suspension. Gomaa said the remaining omissions were made for technical reasons by Amouta.

Al Ahly’s selected squad includes captain and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, alongside Mostafa Shobeir and Hamza Alaa. The defensive options are Hady Riad, Yasser Ibrahim, Amr El Gazzar, Mohamed Hany, Karim Fouad and Karim El Debes.

In midfield, Amouta can call on Akram Tawfik, Ahmed Nabil “Koka”, Marwan Attia, Ali Mahmoud, Mohamed Magdy “Afsha”, Zizo, Taher Mohamed Taha and Hussein El Shahat. The forward line is made up of Benjedida, Bekrar, Oktay Abdallah and Achraf Bencharki.