Sayed Hafeez: Ex-Al Ahly winger gutted by club’s CAF Champions League exit

Photo Credit – Al Ahly SC.

Ex-Al Ahly winger Sayed Mohamed Abdel Hafeez is gutted by the club’s CAF Champions League exit at the hands of South African giants, Mamelodi Sundowns.

The record continental title holders missed out on a sixth successive trip to the Champions League finals on the away-goals rule following a 1-1 draw in the second leg against Sundowns at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday.

The humiliating elimination forced Al Ahly to announce the departure of Swiss coach Marcel Koller a day later, ending his two year marriage with the African giants. Sayed Abdel Hafiz, who spent a decade at the club, making more than 150 appearances, did not hold back in criticizing the former club.

“Al Ahly’s exit is somewhat humiliating, not because of the result, as it can happen in football, but because it was possible to achieve a record by reaching the Champions League final for the sixth consecutive time, which has never happened before,” he said via On Sports Channel.

“The match against Sundowns and the exit turns the spotlight on Koller; Al Ahly played against Koller three times against Zamalek, all of which ended in draws, and twice against Pyramids ended in draws, and against Sundowns six times, Al Ahly has never won with Koller.”

“This is the second time in their history that Sundowns eliminates you from the knockout stages, but today they deserve to surpass Al Ahly, and you helped them with that, the absence of the champion’s identity and the aggression of Al Ahly players.”

“Sundowns is not at their best version, but by coincidence, every time they reached the final, it was against Egyptian teams.”