Imam Ashour's Comeback: First Public Appearance After Hepatitis A at Ahly's Ground

Imam Ashour Makes First Public Appearance Since Illness

Imam Ashour, AHLY's midfield asset, surfaced at the TETCH Stadium for the first time since contracting hepatitis A and undergoing hospital isolation prior to his home recovery. He was seen handling a very light gym session after two days of gentle walks at home, signaling a careful but hopeful return to the fold.

Medical Update and Training Plan

Club physician Dr. Ahmed Gaballah confirmed that latest tests showed stable health. Ashour is now undergoing a gradual ramp-up, starting with basic conditioning units under continuous monitoring and regular checkups to ensure his natural pace returns without a relapse. The plan emphasizes a stepwise return before full training.

In a broader health move, the club disclosed that all first-team members were vaccinated against hepatitis A in coordination with a respected health company, a precautionary measure to safeguard the squad’s health and avoid any future interruptions.

A source indicated the vaccination was partly due to Ashour's participation in group training before his diagnosis. The virus is considered moderately contagious, and the medical team will only clear his return to full training once he’s fully recovered; vaccination for the entire squad adds an extra safety net.

Club Updates: Dari, Shahat, and the Road to Recovery

The medical staff noted that Ashraf Dari will undergo fresh scans to determine when he can rejoin group sessions. Mohamed Sherif has started light jogging around the pitch, while Hussein El Shahat is estimated to need at least five more weeks before returning to team training. Early indications show improvement, but the medical team stresses patience and a complete recovery before stepping up the intensity.

Upcoming Fixture and Historical Context

Ahly is set to face Petrojet in the twelfth round of the Egyptian Premier League, with the game scheduled for 20:00 at the Military College Stadium. The two clubs have met 24 times in the league since Petrojet's promotion in 2006-07; the rivalry began with a 4-0 Ahly victory on 19 November 2006, and the latest encounter on 30 April 2025 finished 3-2 in favor of Ahly. Across these matches, Ahly has claimed 19 wins, five draws, and 52 goals for against 14 conceded.

The most lopsided results occurred four times when Ahly won 4-0 across different seasons (2006-07, 2008-09, 2013-14, 2018-19). In terms of scoring, Emad Meteb leads as Ahly's top scorer in these fixtures with five goals, followed by Walid Soliman and Abdullah El-Sayed with four each, then Flavio Amado and Mohamed Abou-Treika with three each.

Ahly Squad and UAE Super Cup Preparations

Ahly entered a closed camp ahead of the Petrojet match, naming a squad that included a long list of key players, from the goalkeepers to the forwards. Separately, the club announced plans to travel to the United Arab Emirates on 3 November for the Egyptian Super Cup, which runs from 6-9 November. The four participants are Ahly (league champions), Pyramids (golden card), Zamalek (cup winner), and Ceramica Cleopatra (last league cup winner). Semifinal pairings place Ahly against Ceramica Cleopatra on 6 November at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, while Zamalek vs Pyramids meet on the same day at the Unit Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The winners meet on 9 November at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium to decide the title, with the losers playing a third-place match at a separate venue.

Imam Ashour's return is a welcome signal for Ahly as the squad navigates recovery, vaccines, and a busy fixture schedule. The medical team remains vigilant, and fans hope the comeback momentum carries the team toward silverware. And on a lighter note, if recovery time were a transfer window, this season just unlocked a new premium draft pick. Punchline: If football clinics started offering stand-up therapy, tonight's crowd would leave healthier and happier than a clean sheet. Punchline 2: When life gives you hepatitis A, Ahly makes a comeback—talk about turning lemons into a perfectly placed cross.