Following their first-leg semi-final loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the African Football League, the first change to Al Ahly's starting XI for the crucial second-leg clash has reportedly already been confirmed.
According to Sport 360, there is already one alteration to the Ahly side that was defeated 1-0 in Tshwane this past Sunday, with Hussein El Shahat set to return to the starting line-up after he was benched against Masandawana on the weekend.
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The Egypt international is arguably one of the best attackers on the continent, and started the second leg of the Red Devils' quarter-final against Simba SC, but manager Marcel Koller decided to start with Salah Mohsen for their first tussle against Rulani Mokwena's charges.
That change did not bear any fruit as Ahly managed just one shot on target for the entirety of the match at Loftus Versfeld.
El Shahat was an integral part of Ahly's CAF Champions League triumph last season, scoring four goals and bagging three assists in his 11 competition appearances, and will likely have a big part to play in the team's aspirations of netting the necessary two strikes to progress to the final of the AFL.
However, while the Egyptian Premier League champions will back themselves against most opposition when playing at Cairo International Stadium, they have failed to defeat the South African giants in their past two visits to the Egyptian capital.
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Ahly's last victory at home against the DStv Premiership champions came in 2021, when goals from Mohsen and Taher Mohamed gave the record African champions a 2-0 win in the 2020/21 CAFCL quarter-finals.
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