Al Ahly’s goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy radiated assurance ahead of a tough clash with Sudan’s Al Hilal in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals second leg, set for Tuesday in Mauritania.
After securing a slim 1-0 win in Cairo during the first leg, the Egyptian giants now face a critical test away from home, with the venue shifted due to Sudan’s political unrest. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, El Shenawy emphasized the team’s readiness to push for a semi-final spot.
“The team prepared well for this match in order to achieve the goal and qualify for the semi-finals,” he said.
“Al Hilal is a strong team with distinguished players, and they performed well in the group stage, but Al Ahly players are very focused on the match and have the experience to deal with such situations. Our main goal is to win.”
Reflecting on the first leg, he noted their dominance despite the narrow scoreline. “We had many chances and were only able to score one goal. Therefore, we are fully aware of the importance of tomorrow’s match and the necessity of winning it to qualify for the next round.”
El Shenawy also highlighted his familiarity with the Mauritanian pitch, having played there recently with Egypt’s national team. “We are used to this atmosphere, and we went through similar situations last year,” he concluded.
