Mosimane’s Al Ahly put three past Al-merreikh in Champions League

Al Ahly are off to a confident start in the Caf Champions League group stages in defence of their title‚ and it would have been a satisfying win for coach Pitso Mosimane as his side put three goals past Al-merreikh a day after their coach had a dig at him.

Ahly dominated the opening half at Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday night without scoring against the Sudanese outfit.

Their three goals scored in the second half for a 3-0 Group A win would have been sweeter for Red Devils coach Mosimane, as he was missing five players injured or suspended after Ahly’s third-placed finish at the Fifa Club World Cup last week.

The win might have been additionally satisfying for Mosimane as it followed Merreikh’s Tunisian coach Nasreddine Nabi becoming the latest to jump on the bandwagon criticising Mosimane.

Ahly were playing without influential left-back Ali Maaloul‚ forwards Hussein Elshahat‚ Taher Mohamed and Salah Mohsen‚ and with defender Ayman Ashraf unavailable.

Nabi‚ who coached Ismaily in Egypt in 2016‚ had congratulated Ahly on their third-place finish at the Club World Cup in Qatar‚ earned with a penalties victory against Brazil’s Palmeiras in the third-place play-off on Thursday‚ but criticised the brand of football employed by Mosimane.

“I congratulate to Al Ahly and [club president] Mahmoud Elkhatib for the third place in Club World Cup. Facing them after this achievement presents a big motivation‚” Nabi was quoted as saying on Kingfut.com‚ via Sada El Balad TV‚ before the group stage meeting against the Red Devils.

“Al Ahly’s performance did not match the club’s ideas which always aim to play beautiful football like we always saw them.

“I expected a better performance but Mosimane is free to choose the playing method that suits his team.”

In Qatar‚ Ahly were defensive in a 2-0 semifinal defeat against a formidable Bayern Munich — the European champions who became the second team after Barcelona to wrap up a sextuplet of six trophies in a season at the Club World Cup.

Mosimane’s side opened up their tactics to a greater extent, edging the 90 minutes against Palmeiras‚ but could not score and the play-off was decided by penalties.

Ahly beat Qatari host club Alduhail 1-0 in the second round.