New Boss, Narrow Win: Ahly Start Turup’s Era with a Hard-Fought Victory in Burundi

First Half

Ahly seized control of the midfield from the start, with Marwan Attia orchestrating play and imprinting the visitors’ rhythm on the game. A promising chance for Yassin Mer’hai (Yassin Merai) in the Burundi box went narrowly wide, while a cross from Ben Sharqi was cleared by the hosts’ defense before Ahly finally found the breakthrough. In the 37th minute, a high cross from Mohamed Hany deflected off Burundi defender Camiano Nicolas and sailed into the net for an own goal, giving Ahly the lead. The Burundian side pressed back but Ahly maintained the initiative, with Shenaroy? (a strong defensive stand) and a few crosses that forced saves from the goalkeeper. By the half-hour mark, Ahly’s pressure showed no sign of abating, and the teams went into the break with the visitors ahead.

Ahly’s dominance extended into the latter stages of the first half, as a header from Ben Sharqi and another cross from Hany tested the Burundian defense. The hosts created a rare clear chance, but their strike curled wide of the post, preserving the one-goal margin for Ahly at the interval. The Red Devils’ defense also held firm, with captain Yasser Ibrahim and company repelling several attempts from the Burundian attackers.

Second Half

The second half saw Ahly maintain the upper hand as Turup rang in a substitution to add fresh legs in midfield, introducing Nets Gradyashar to steady the ball and press higher. The Burundian side came out more aggressively, hunting an equalizer, while Ahly looked to kill the game with quick transitions. A late cross from Zizo forced a sequence of safe clearances from the Burundian defense, and the Red Devils smartly managed the tempo as they stifled threats in the final third. As the clock ticked, Ahly defended compactly and carried constructive breaks, keeping the scoreline intact and moving one step closer to a place in the group stage. The closing minutes featured persistent pressure from Eagles Nar, but the visitors’ backline stood firm, and the night ended with Ahly claiming a valuable away win.

Looking ahead to the Cairo return, Ahly only need a win or a draw to advance from the tie. Turup inherits the mission of restoring Ahly’s place among Africa’s elite, a task complicated by the previous season’s semifinal exit to Sundowns and the ultimate crown won by Pyramids. Ahly remain Africa’s most decorated club with 12 continental titles, a record they are keen to defend as they chase another storied chapter in their history.

Punchline time: If football were a chess game, Turup just opened with a clever gambit—only issue is the board is shaped like a ball, and the knight keeps running down the wing. Punchline two: Ahly’s defense? It’s like your favorite hotel Wi-Fi—pretty good in the lobby, but you want a stronger signal in the final third, and somehow they always find a way to surprise you with that corner anyway.