Underdogs Al Ahly look to give Egypt a lift in Fifa Club World Cup after Afcon final blow

Seven players from the Egyptian club side were involved in exhausting run in Cameroon as Mosimane's team prepares for last-four Abu Dhabi clash with Palmeiras

Mohamed Hany of Al Ahly after scoring against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, February 5, 2022. All images Chris Whiteoak / The National

Mohamed Hany of Al Ahly after scoring against Monterrey at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Mohamed Hany after scoring the winner for Al Ahly.

Ahmed Abdel Kader of Al Ahly argues with the referee.

Monterrey fans during the game at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Ahmed Abdel Kader of Al Ahly battles with Arturo Gonzalez of Monterrey.

Monterrey head coach Javier Aguirre during the game in Abu Dhabi.

The annotated water bottle, handed to Egypt’s goalkeeper Mohamed ‘Gabaski’ Abou Gabal shortly before he faced his third penalty shootout in four matches, was set to become a museum piece.

An encyclopedia of information, full of names and notes about opposition penalty-takers’ techniques, had been taped to the water bottle to help enhance the Pharaohs’ proven expertise in shoot-outs. As Gabaski clutched it, half-concealed under a towel, he seemed to have an extra weapon in the tie-breaker to decide the destiny of the 33rd Afcon.

Against expectation, Egypt lost the shoot-out and their bid to become African champions for an eighth time. There were tears, from Mohamed Salah, their totem, from Gabaski, the substitute-turned-superstar, and clear symptoms of exhaustion amid the heartbreak.

But there was also an instinct to recognise that the better team, Senegal, were lifting the trophy, that perhaps Egypt had relied too heavily on their capacity to second-guess all-comers - as the meticulous notes about the techniques of each Senegalese penalty-taker on that water bottle suggested - and on their rigorous defensive application.

Ahead of next month’s play-off against Senegal for a place at the World Cup, Egypt will have time to dwell on that. Right now, several of the Afcon silver-medalists must urgently turn their minds to the next assignment. The national team may have been dealt a blow to morale but Egyptian football will be reminded this evening that, at club level, it remains the chief flag-bearer for the African continent.

Were it not for the Afcon, Al Ahly would be going into Tuesday’s Club World Cup semi-final against Palmerias looking stronger and more like the serial African champions they are.

As Al Ahly’s manager Pitso Mosimane has repeated, letting one major showpiece, the Cup of Nations, tailgate into another, the Fifa club event, is a major calendar glitch, and leaves one participant in Abu Dhabi utterly compromised. Seven Al Ahly players were involved in Egypt’s exhausting run to the final in Cameroon.

Senegal's Sadio Mane celebrates after winning the Africa Cup of Nations after a penalty shoot-out against Egypt at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde on Sunday, February 6, 2022. Reuters

Senegal players celebrate after winning the Africa Cup of Nations. Reuters

Egypt's Mohamed Salah looks dejected after losing the Africa Cup of Nations final. Reuters

Senegal's goalkeeper Edouard Mendy (C) celebrates with teammates after winning the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 final football match between Senegal and Egypt at Stade d'Olembe in Yaounde on February 6, 2022. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Egypt's Mohamed Elneny in tears after the final. Reuters

Egypt's goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal during a penalty shoot-out. AFP

Senegal's supporters cheer at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations final. AFP

Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye and Sadio Mane celebrate after winning the penalty shoot-out in the Afcon final against Egypt. Reuters

Senegal players celebrate winning the Africa Cup of Nations after a penalty shoot-out in the final against Egypt at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde on Sunday, February 6, 2022. Reuters

Senegal's forward Sadio Mane, left, Egypt's forward Mohamed Salah and goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal speak before a penalty kick during the Africa Cup of Nations final. AFP

Egypt's goalkeeper Mohamed Abogabal stops a shot by Senegal's Sadio Mane during the Africa Cup of Nations final in Yaounde. AFP

Mohamed Salah during the Afcon final against Senegal at Stade d'Olembe in Yaounde. AFP

Egypt supporters in Yaounde on Sunday. AFP

Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly, left, challenges Egypt's Mohamed Salah in Yaounde. AP

Senegal's Idrissa Gana Gueye shoots at goal from a free kick. Reuters

Senegal's head coach Aliou Cisse during the Africa Cup of Nations final. AFP

Cairo’s most successful club and the Pharaohs have always fed off one another, usually positively, but the fact that the club was playing a Fifa quarter-final on Saturday and the national side an Afcon final on Sunday undermines the club tournament.

The clash became a severe setback for Mosimane weeks ago when the Al Ahly full-back Akram Tawfik ruptured his cruciate ligament 12 minutes into Egypt’s opening Afcon game, the 1-0 defeat to Nigeria. The casualty list grew in the last-16 tie against Ivory Coast when Mohamed El Shenawy, first-choice goalkeeper for Al Ahly and Egypt and a leader, limped off with a hamstring problem.

El Shenawy’s injury offered the chance for Zamalek keeper Gabaski to shine, to confidently take his message-on-a-bottle crib-sheet and his winning records from the shoot-outs against Ivory Coast and the semi-final against Cameroon into the tense tie-breaker on Sunday.

In the event, his one save, to keep out Bouna Sarr’s spot-kick, was balanced against Mohamed Abdelmonem striking Egypt’s second penalty against the post and Mohanad Lasheen presenting Edouard Mendy, in the Senegal goal, with a straightfoward save at 3-2. Sadio Mane then converted for 4-2 on penalties, delivering Senegal’s maiden Afcon title.

Afcon final player ratings

SENEGAL RATINGS: Edouard Mendy 6 - Called into action against Salah late in first half but was caught in no man’s land with a cross in the second, fortunately seeing the ball headed wide. AFP

Bouna Sarr 7 - His pace attacking the right flank proved a problem for Egypt. The wing-back was unlucky with some of his crosses that weren’t converted. A poor penalty was saved too easily by Gabaski. AFP

Kalidou Koulibaly 8 - Used his experience to position smartly against counter-attacks, while commanding the Senegal backline who displayed impressive synergy. AP Photo

Abdou Diallo 8 - The Paris Saint-Germain centre-back used his pace to prevent Egypt attacks and he was quick to clear danger. Dominant in the air. AFP

Saliou Ciss 8 - Was a threat throughout with his pace causing havoc when overlapping Sadio Mane. The 32-year-old’s pace was too much for the Egyptian defence in the opening minutes, winning a penalty as he was taken down inside the box. AP Photo

Cheikhou Kouyate 6 - Made some good defensive plays but rarely involved in attack. Nampalys Mendy 6 - Rarely troubled in defensive areas as the Leicester City man made sure it was difficult to attack through the middle. AFP

Nampalys Mendy 6 - Rarely troubled in defensive areas as the Leicester City man made sure it was difficult to attack through the middle. AP Photo

Ismaila Sarr 7 - Unlucky not to pick up an assist with neat trickery on the right flank and two well delivered crosses, though he could have taken a little bit off the power to give Mane a chance at the backpost. AFP

Idrissa Gueye 7 - While the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder was deployed further forward for Senegal, he often slipped back into his natural defensive habitat, breaking up a number of Egypt attacks. AFP

Sadio Mane 8 - Missed a penalty early-on, but dispatched a penalty in he shootout with the weight of his nation on his shoulders. AFP

Famara Diedhiou 6 - Found it difficult to trouble the defence while he was on and was eventually withdrawn by Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse. AFP

SUB: Pape Gueye (Kouyate 66) 6 - Confident on the ball and kept the play ticking over for Senegal, adding a layer of control to the midfield. AP Photo

SUB: Bamba Dieng (Diedhiou 77) - Had his first real chance in extra time but didn’t get the right contact with a defender pressuring him from behind. Unlucky with a swerving effort from range that forced a difficult save. AFP

SUB: Boulaye Dia (Sarr 77) - On for Sarr close to full time but didn’t get many touches. AFP

EGYPT RATINGS: Gabaski 9 - The Egypt goalkeeper has been one of the standout players of the tournament, and that was no different in Sunday’s final with a saved penalty against Sadio Mane. Gabaski looked sharp and was quick to get down to incoming shots, dealing with situations with confidence. EPA

Ahmed Fatouh 8 - Battled fearlessly throughout the entire 120 minutes with his intensity matching the occasion, and he was often the Egypt defender to clear the danger. Reuters

Mahmoud Hamdi 7 - Good interventions to stop a cross that looked like it was heading to a dangerous area. Kept Senegal’s attacking stars quiet. AFP

Mohamed Abdelmonem 7 - The centre-back produced some good pieces of defending throughout the game, and he made up for a lapse of concentration that conceded a penalty in the opening minutes. EPA

Emam Ashour 7 - A solid defensive game from the full-back who contributed going forward as well as being assured at the back. AFP

Amr Soleya 6 - Didn’t make as much impact as he would have liked going forward. Replaced just before the hour-mark. EPA

Hamdi Fathi 6 - Rarely gave away the ball and showed a good range of passing. AFP

Mohamed Elneny 6 - Kept things simple and positioned astutely to prevent attacks building up in central areas. Reuters

Omar Marmoush 5 - Simply not involved enough. The forward found it difficult to make space and had to keep a keen eye on Senegal’s wingbacks. AP Photo

Mostafa Mohamed 5 - A similar story to Marmoush, but Mostafa Mohamed did isolate Diallo and Koulibaly at times which allowed space for Mohamed Salah to try and work some magic. AFP

Mohamed Salah 7 - Drifted in and out of the game, but the Liverpool star did look dangerous when he had the ball, weaving in between defenders and getting a shot off towards goal whenever he could. AP Photo

SUB: Trezeguet (Soleya 59) 6 - The pacey winger is normally a problem for any team but he seemed to be countered out by a fast Senegal defensive line. Looked tired in extra time. Reuters

SUB: Zizo (Marmoush 59) 6 - Egypt seemed to lose the ball more often than not when Zizo had possession, though he did work hard to help out his defence. Scored his penalty in emphatic fashion. AFP

SUB: Marwan Hamdi (Mohamed 59) 6 - Had to do better with his header that was unchallenged, instead sending it wide of Mendy’s goal. AFP

SUB: Mohanad Lasheen (Fathi 99) - On for the final stage of extra time but missed the decisive penalty in the shootout. AP Photo

It was hard not to feel for Abdelmonem, who has just returned to Al Ahly from his loan spell at Future FC. He had an outstanding tournament in Egypt's defence.

Quite how ready he and Al Ahly colleagues Ayman Ashraf, Amr El Solia, Hamdy Fathy and Mohamed Sherif can be, psychologically or physically, for a Club World Cup after a month of difficult pitches, extra-time sagas and a consistently tetchy campaign in hot, humid Cameroon is moot.

How accomplished Al Ahly can still look without so many regulars was proved in the 1-0 win over Monterrey that brought them to Tuesday’s semi-final, and though Mosimane is entitled to complain about the scheduling, one lesson he to take from Egypt’s campaign is that too much of a ‘siege mentality’ can be destructive.

Egypt might have carefully prepared an informative water bottle for the Afcon final, but they went into it without manager Carlos Queiroz and his assistant Roger de Sa on the touchline. Both were suspended.

There was barely a fixture in which Egypt’s management staff were not in a heated argument with opponents or officials. Some of the spoiling tactics, the time-wasting and backchat became tiresome.

Mosimane, by contrast, urged his Al Ahly players to be positive, in spite of all the absentees. “You all deserve to be here,” he said to the several understudies as he briefed them to be vigilant and exploit the counter-attack against the favoured Monterrey.

Al Ahly will be under-strength, and underdogs, again in Abu Dhabi. But they will not take on Palmeiras feeling like a second-string version of a proud club.