Al Ahly to face Ghazl El Mahalla in Egyptian League game

Defending champions Al Ahly are set to face Ghazl El Mahalla on Monday in the fourth round of the Egyptian Premier League.

The Cairo-based giants will look to breach Ghazl El Mahalla’s resilient defence, which has held firm across three consecutive goalless draws since the start of the season.

Al Ahly, who were idle in the third round due to fixture scheduling, began their campaign with a 2-2 draw against Modern Sport before registering a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Pharco FC in their second outing.

However, head coach Jose Riveiro will be without several key players for Monday’s encounter.

Defenders Yassin Marei, Mohamed Shokry, and Yasser Ibrahim are all sidelined with muscle injuries, while midfielders Emam Ashour and Marwan Attia also remain unavailable due to fitness concerns.

Additionally, right-back Mohamed Hany is suspended after receiving a red card in the match against Pharco. Ghazl El Mahalla, for their part, remain unbeaten defensively, having yet to concede a goal this season.

However, the team has also failed to score in their opening three matches, each ending in a 0-0 draw.

Al Ahly currently sit on four points from two matches, three behind league leaders Al Masry, who have played one game more.

A win on Monday would see the record champions draw level at the top of the table.

Historically, the two sides have met on 98 occasions, with Al Ahly winning 56 matches, Ghazl El Mahalla securing 12 victories, and 30 encounters ending in draws.

Al Ahly have scored 134 goals in the fixture, while Ghazl El Mahalla have found the net 55 times.