Al Ahly coach: Sundowns have an excellent goalkeeper but our keeper can also save penalties

Swiss coach Marcel Koller confirmed that Egyptian giants Al Ahly are ready and fully prepared to face South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg of the CAF Champions League semifinal.

Al Ahly will host Sundowns at Cairo International Stadium on Friday, April 25 at 4:00 PM GMT. The first leg in South Africa ended in a goalless draw.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Koller said via Al Ahly’s official website:

“In the first leg, neither team was able to score, which makes us confident that tomorrow’s match will be extremely intense.”

He pointed out that playing at home and in front of Al Ahly’s passionate supporters gives the team a significant boost, stressing that he is counting on the fans to keep pushing and motivating the players throughout the game to secure victory and a spot in the final.

Koller added:

“Our only objective tomorrow is to win. We do not want to settle for a score draw that benefits the opponent, or a goalless draw that takes us to penalties. That’s why we will play for the win and qualification. I know Sundowns are a strong side but we aim to make our fans happy and we’re not concerned about past results between the two teams — our focus is entirely on tomorrow’s game.”

The coach, who has won the CAF Champions League twice in a row, continued:

“Penalty shootouts have their own calculations. Sundowns have an excellent goalkeeper, but we also have a great keeper who has already saved many penalties. I expect a strong performance from the opponent.”

Koller concluded by affirming that each match has its own circumstances and tomorrow the team’s mission is to score to win and secure a place in the final.