Aim True, Balls In: Al Ahly’s 2-0 Dominance and the Coaching Sharpness That Follows
23 January 2026
Match Context
Al Ahly’s Danish head coach Jes Torup expressed happiness after the 2-0 win against Tanzanian side Young Africans on Friday evening, in the third round of Group B of the CAF Champions League, at Borg El Arab Stadium. The victory kept Ahly firmly in the mix as the group starts to take shape.
From the Coach’s Desk
Torup noted that the match followed a longer-than-usual break for international duty, with players absent for up to seven weeks. He added that the squad had only one training session prior to the game, supplemented by recovery sessions. He stressed that while the performance will improve with time, victories like this one build crucial confidence for the squad.
“Football is always about winning, and today we sit at the top of the group with seven points,” he said, calling the result a fresh start and a promising omen for the new year. He also commented on the reserve role for some players as the team continues to refine its lineup for upcoming fixtures.
Squad Rotation and Morrow of the Maanagers
Regarding the starting goalkeeper, Mustafa Shobier, Torup revealed he held conversations with both Mohamed El Shennawy and Mustafa Shobier, stressing that competition for goalkeeping, like all positions, is intense. He hinted that the stadium will remain a decisive factor when selecting the starting eleven.
Torup emphasized ongoing competition across all positions: “We always work to create competition in every role, and every player feels someone else is ready to step in.”
Looking ahead, he said there are many matches to come and that every player will get opportunities to feature, noting that Tuesday’s league game against Wadi Degla would provide another chance for personnel rotation.
The coach also confirmed he had been tracking new forward Marwan Osman for a while, during his time with Ceramica Cleopatra, and knows his capabilities well. Osman attended two training sessions and demonstrated strong potential, which is why he started against Young Africans.
“The team is made of 11 players; when we lose the ball, everyone defends, and when we have the ball, everyone attacks the opponent,” Torup remarked, underscoring the collective approach he seeks to instill. He added that while a striker scoring 20–25 goals is desirable, the priority remains the team’s overall scoring and creation of chances.
Finally, he praised the team’s chances, saying they created many opportunities against Young Africans and that Trezyge (Trezeguet) scored a pair of excellent goals. Looking forward, he said the focus would be on sharpening the attacking phase, while noting he would not disclose transfer requests to the club at this time.
In sum, Torup’s message was clear: progress through competition, belief in the squad, and a growing sense that the best is yet to come for Ahly’s campaign.
