Injury Storm on Al Ahly as Shennawy Heads to the Sidelines for AS FAR Rabat Clash

Ahead of AS FAR Rabat clash, Shennawy sidelined with left adductor strain

Mohamed El Shennawy, the first-choice goalkeeper for Al Ahly, will miss Friday’s CAF Champions League Group II match against AS FAR Rabat due to a left adductor strain, the club confirmed. He left the field in yesterday’s 4-1 victory over Shabab Belouizdad in Cairo, with Mustafa Shobier coming on to replace him.

The medical staff, led by Dr. Ahmed Gab Allah, said Shennawy felt pain in the left adductor and was withdrawn to avoid worsening the issue. Imaging later confirmed a mild pull; the skipper will not be fit for the upcoming clash but is expected to resume training immediately after returning from Morocco, keeping him in contention for the national team’s camp ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

In the meantime, there was a thumbs-up on the rest of the squad’s readiness, as the team monitor several other niggles ahead of the trip. Ahmed Shabib, Shoben’s shift partner, and the rest of the attack and midfield lines remain under close medical watch as they approach the second group game.

Other injuries and tactical notes as Al Ahly chase more points

Another update from inside the camp indicated that winger Ahmed Abdelkader reported a minor hamstring issue, while Mohamed Shakri suffered calf and ankle-related concerns during Friday’s session. The medical team has ordered rest and scans for both, with a view to assessing their availability for the AS FAR Rabat tie and guiding gradual returns in the immediate run-in to the tournament.

Meanwhile, Moroccan wing-back Ashraf Dari is continuing a rehab program and will participate in trainings progressively as pain allows. Hussein El Shahat needs roughly a week to ten days to recover, while Mohamed Abdullah remains on a longer timeline after suffering a second-degree sprain in the inner knee ligaments during recent training. The club’s medical staff emphasize a careful, staged approach to prevent re-injury.

Match impact, team dynamics, and coach Turup’s take

Head coach Jes Turup (the Danish tactician) expressed satisfaction with the 4-1 win over Shabab Belouizdad and stressed that the team created numerous chances and deserved at least six or seven goals on the night, had some fine margins gone differently. He addressed the defensive slip that led to Shabab Belouizdad’s goal, explaining that football is a team effort and errors are part of the game, not a single player’s fault. Turkup highlighted improved physical conditioning and team cohesion as decisive in the first half, while acknowledging the need to control the game for 90 minutes.

On the specific moment that led to Shabab Belouizdad’s lone goal, Turup said the ball’s deflection came off defender Yasser Ibrahim, making it hard for El Shennawy to react. He praised Mustafa Shobier’s late-game display and noted the ball handling and reflexes shown by the young keeper amid the late pressure.

In terms of personnel decisions, Turup said the best players at each position will anchor the starting lineup, and he will finalize the XI after the week’s training sessions, with Mohamed Shreef’s strong form tipping the balance at center-forward in some scenarios over Taher Mohammed Taher. The interaction between Ashraf Ben Sharqi’s offensive width and Mohamed Hani’s runs was singled out as a positive trend from the opening match.

From Shabab Belouizdad’s camp, coach Josef Zinbauer conceded the result was tough and attributed it to experience gaps and the quality of the Egyptian side, while thanking the fans for their support. He stressed that his team must continue working and learning and hinted at further tactical adjustments for the rematch against Young Africans in their next fixture, as he continues to build consistency and bite at the attacking end.

Finally, Mohamed Shreef, Al Ahly’s forward, spoke of his personal relief at scoring and the importance of getting three points. He warned that the next match against AS FAR Rabat would be challenging given their resilience and pedigree in Moroccan football, urging the team to maintain focus and continue the progress they showed in the opening group game.