Al Ahly football director revealed that the team celebrated Aliou Dieng’s birthday before beating Aigle Noir

Walid Salah El-Din, the football director of Egypt’s Al Ahly, stressed the importance of achieving victory over Burundian side Eagle Noir in the opening match of the CAF Champions League.

Al Ahly, led by their new Danish coach Jes Thorup, claimed a 1-0 away win against the Burundian champions in the first leg of the Round of 32 of the competition.

Salah El-Din said in statements to Al Ahly’s official page:
“The win over Eagle Noir was very important, especially since it came in the first appearance of the new technical staff.”

He added: “The victory was also significant given that the players were suffering from fatigue and exhaustion after the end of the international break.”

Al Ahly football director continued: “The international players joined Al Ahly only two days before we travelled to Burundi, after finishing their duties with their national teams.”

He went on: “The new coaching staff, led by Thorup, adapted quickly to the atmosphere. Yesterday, we celebrated Aliou Dieng’s birthday, and the mood within the team is very good. We will return to Cairo in high spirits.”

Walid Salah El-Din concluded: “We have seven upcoming matches across three competitions — the league, the Egyptian Super Cup, and the return leg against Eagle Noir. We have a great team, and everyone is ready for the upcoming fixtures.”

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