The Cairo International Stadium witnessed pure heartbreak as الأهلي ضد صن داونز (Al Ahly vs Sundowns) ended with a gut-wrenching 88th-minute equalizer. Al Ahly grabbed an early lead when Taher Mohamed Taher found the net in the 23rd minute after Imam Ashour’s brilliant pass. Their Champions League dreams came crashing down through a cruel twist – Yasser Ibrahim’s own goal in the 90th minute made it 1-1. This sealed their fate on away goals after a goalless first leg.
The Egyptian giants’ exit from the semi-finals marks their fourth CAF Champions League heartbreak at this stage. Al Ahly’s fans who were happy to watch مباراه الاهلي ضد صن داونز felt the pain deeply. The team wanted their 13th title, something that has eluded them since 2013. Mauritanian referee Dahan Bida led the match with officials from Ivory Coast and Togo. This match will stay etched as one of the most painful moments for الاهلي ضد صن داونز اليوم supporters.
Al Ahly Loses Lead After 88th-Minute Own Goal
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Drama unfolded in the final minutes at Cairo International Stadium as Yasser Ibrahim scored a devastating own goal in the 88th minute. A simple cross into Al Ahly’s penalty area created unexpected chaos that silenced the passionate home crowd. Their celebrations of a predicted trip to the final came to an abrupt halt.
Ibrahim had earlier survived a VAR review for a potential foul on Lucas Ribeiro. He became the center of heartbreak after a dangerous cross bounced in the penalty area. The ball hit the back of his heel and rolled past a helpless Mohamed El Shenawy.
Substitute Iqraam Rayners pressured in the box and took a speculative shot that deflected off Ibrahim’s shin. This cruel moment changed the match instantly. Sundowns gained a vital away goal advantage after both teams played to a goalless draw in the first leg.
Al Ahly’s coach Marcel Koller rushed to bring on forwards Hussein El-Shahat and Mohamed ‘Afsha’ Magdi to spark a comeback. The psychological impact proved too much to overcome. The defending champions couldn’t regain their momentum despite ten minutes of added time. Sundowns defended with remarkable determination.
This goal marked Sundowns’ ninth straight unbeaten game against Al Ahly. The Egyptian giants’ dreams of a third straight CAF Champions League title ended abruptly. The Red Devils had reached five consecutive finals in Africa’s top club competitions. This stunning loss prevented their sixth straight final appearance.
Sundowns erupted in celebration as Rayners ran ecstatically after his role in the decisive moment. The South African side had stunned the Egyptian giants. Al Ahly’s bench and fans had started their celebrations before this devastating equalizer changed everything.
Koller’s Defensive Strategy Backfires Against Sundowns
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Marcel Koller’s defensive strategy against Mamelodi Sundowns got pricey for Al Ahly in their CAF Champions League semi-final. Taher Mohamed’s first-half strike gave them a 1-0 lead, but the Swiss coach changed to an overly defensive setup that invited pressure instead of protecting their advantage.
The Egyptian giants dropped deep after halftime and let their South African opponents control possession. This stark departure from their original aggressive pressing allowed Sundowns to build confidence and dominate territory. Al Ahly struggled to relieve pressure because Koller delayed making offensive substitutions until after they conceded.
The numbers tell the story of this tactical mistake. Al Ahly’s possession dropped significantly in the second half. Koller chose to strengthen his defensive line rather than add fresh attackers to threaten on the counter. This decision gave Sundowns the freedom to push more players forward without any risk.
“We invited too much pressure instead of continuing what worked in the first half,” admitted a disappointed Al Ahly player after the match. “Our defensive approach gave Sundowns hope when we should have killed the game.”
Koller’s substitution choices showed his conservative mindset. Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena kept making attacking changes throughout the second half and brought in match-influencer Iqraam Rayners. Koller waited until the 89th minute – after conceding – to bring on attackers like El-Shahat and Magdi.
Al Ahly’s deep defensive line let Sundowns deliver crosses into dangerous areas repeatedly, which led to the decisive deflection. Fans watching الاهلي ضد صن داونز اليوم felt especially frustrated as their team looked in control before dropping back.
This elimination adds to Al Ahly’s recent struggles in CAF semi-finals and raises questions about Koller’s future. The viewers who watched مشاهدة مباراة الأهلي ضد صن داونز saw how the failure to adjust tactics against Sundowns’ increased pressure led to this heartbreaking exit.
Fans React as Al Ahly Exits CAF Champions League
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Al Ahly’s heartbreaking elimination sparked intense reactions throughout the Arab world. Popular Egyptian television host Amr Adib shared his deep sorrow on his program “Al Hikaya” on MBC Masr. “There is great sadness across the Arab world and Africa, and at the time the goal was scored, I felt a pain in my heart,” he said. He pleaded with supporters to “overcome the sadness,” while admitting that “the club’s exit from the semi-finals makes my heart bleed.”
The devastating effect was visible all over Cairo. Nearly 70,000 supporters dressed in red at the national stadium had been celebrating their team’s predicted progression. They fell silent after the equalizer. Jubilation turned to shock within seconds as their team’s dreams of a third straight CAF Champions League title slipped away.
Coach Marcel Koller faced immediate criticism. Angry supporters threw water bottles at him as he left the field. Former Al Ahly director Sayed Abdel Hafeez demanded Koller’s removal. “The departure of Marcel Koller is in the team’s best interest. The team conceded 11 goals in the final minutes, which is a negative point,” he stated.
Egyptian media soon reported an emergency meeting to discuss Koller’s future after this elimination. Calls for his dismissal grew louder since this marked the first time since 2020 that Al Ahly failed to reach a final, ending their run of five straight finals appearances.
Fans of مباراه الاهلي ضد صن داونز took to social media to express their disbelief at the loss, especially since their team controlled much of the match. The pain cut deeper given Al Ahly’s legacy as 12-time champions and current title holders.
Adib’s final message to the players captured the supporters’ emotional state: “I express my deepest sadness to all Al Ahly players, one by one.” Fans who watched الاهلي ضد صن داونز اليوم now face the difficult reality of waiting another year for Champions League glory.
Conclusion
Al Ahly’s elimination from the CAF Champions League has sent shockwaves through African football. The Red Devils seemed destined for their sixth straight final, but fate had other plans when an 88th-minute own goal crushed their dreams. Marcel Koller’s defensive approach ended up being his downfall and now raises serious questions about his future with the Egyptian giants. Sundowns made the most of Al Ahly’s cautious second-half tactics and earned their ninth straight unbeaten result against the 12-time champions.
The loss has hit hard for supporters in Cairo and beyond who expected another winning campaign. Al Ahly’s 10-year old tradition of reaching CAF finals makes this semi-final exit even more painful. Players’ mental state will take a hit, especially since they were so close to victory before Ibrahim’s unfortunate deflection changed the game’s outcome.
This result has shifted the balance of power in African football. Al Ahly needs to fix the tactical problems that surface at key moments. Sundowns can now push forward with new confidence that they’re ready to compete for African dominance. Al Ahly’s track record suggests they’ll bounce back from this devastating loss, but right now that’s little comfort to fans still trying to process what happened at Cairo International Stadium.
FAQs
Q1. What was the final score of the Al Ahly vs Sundowns match? The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Al Ahly scoring in the 23rd minute and Sundowns equalizing through an own goal in the 88th minute.
Q2. How did Sundowns advance despite the draw? Sundowns advanced on the away goals rule. The first leg ended 0-0, so the 1-1 draw in Cairo gave Sundowns the advantage due to scoring an away goal.
Q3. Who scored the crucial equalizer for Sundowns? The equalizer was an own goal by Al Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim in the 88th minute, following pressure from Sundowns substitute Iqraam Rayners.
Q4. What tactical approach did Al Ahly use in the second half? Al Ahly adopted a defensive strategy in the second half, sitting back and inviting pressure from Sundowns instead of maintaining their aggressive first-half approach.
Q5. How did fans react to Al Ahly’s elimination? Fans were devastated, with the stadium falling silent after the equalizer. There was widespread disappointment across social media, and some supporters even called for the coach’s dismissal.
