Mosimane Reacts To First League Defeat With Ahly

Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane has explained why his side fell to their first league defeat to the season ahead of their CAF Champions League showdown against Raja Athletic Club.

Haithem Layouni, scored the only goal of the game in eight-minute at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria on Saturday evening which marked their first loss of the 2021/22 season.

Al Masry, lead by two-time CAF Champions League-winning coach Moine Chaabani who’s also contesting for the CAF Confederation Cup title this season was visibly buoyed at the final whistle and Mosimane has sought to explain why his side underperformed on the day.

“We played a very difficult game here and you must understand it’s our third game in seven days. The game on Wednesday was also difficult and the game against Hilal was very difficult,” Mosimane said in the post-match press conference.

“So it’s been difficult for us and this kind of game, we did not have what this kind of a game demanded. It’s a different game if you understand. Ahly does not really have the ammunition for this game because it’s a different game.

“If it was any other game, we fight and we gave the fight in the second half. It’s just a different game, but if you understand football you will understand what I’m saying – it’s a different game.

“The only way to come back is to win the next match and hopefully we play in Cairo Stadium and then we can play the Ahly way – this is a different game.”

Mosimane offered his troops a 24-hour break ahead of preparing for Botola giants Raja in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League, this after he held a meeting with the club’s board over the next round of important fixtures.