Al-Ahly Benghazi have sent an early warning to their rivals ahead of the new Libyan Premier League season after beating Egyptian giants Al-Ahly 1-0 in Cairo.
The Libyan side secured the victory at Al-Ahly’s Mokhtar Al-Tetsh Stadium, bringing an unbeaten training camp in Egypt to a close and giving Ali Al-Sharif’s team a significant confidence boost before the domestic campaign begins.
The match was more than a pre-season friendly for Al-Ahly Benghazi, with the result providing an indication of the progress made during an intensive preparation period.
The Libyan Premier League is scheduled to begin on 9 October, and Al-Ahly Benghazi’s management will hope the team’s performances in Egypt can be carried into the competitive season.
The victory also revived memories of one of the club’s most memorable continental achievements.
Al-Ahly Benghazi recall historic 2014 Champions League triumph
Al-Ahly Benghazi’s success against their Egyptian opponents brought back memories of 2014, when the Libyan club produced a major upset by eliminating the record holders for African titles from the African Champions League.
The two teams met in the group stage of that competition, with Al-Ahly Benghazi winning both encounters.
They claimed a 1-0 victory in the first leg before completing a historic double with a 3-2 triumph in the return fixture.
Those results remain an important part of the club’s history and are still remembered by supporters, making the latest victory in Cairo particularly significant.
This time, however, the focus is on building a team capable of competing strongly throughout the 2026-27 season.
Al-Ahly Benghazi conducted their preparations behind closed doors, with the technical staff maintaining strict control over the training camp. The approach was designed to limit outside pressure and allow the players and coaching staff to concentrate entirely on preparations for the new campaign.
The coaching staff used the camp to assess the condition of the established players while also examining how effectively the new signings could integrate into the squad.
Major recruitment drive
The club have made significant changes to their squad during the current preparation period, bringing in several prominent players as part of an ambitious rebuilding project.
Among the most notable arrivals is Moroccan defender Amin Abu Al-Fath, who joined from Wydad. Tunisian forward Firas Shawat, who previously played for Club Africain, has also been brought in to strengthen the attack.
Al-Ahly Benghazi have further added Congolese winger Glody Lilebo, Burkinabe defender Trofa Bony and Algerian Islam Moghili.
The recruitment drive has not been restricted to overseas players. The club have also strengthened their squad with experienced local talent, including international striker Fahd Al-Masmari and Ahmed Al-Maqsi.
The breadth of the recruitment reflects the ambitions of the Al-Ahly Benghazi leadership, who want to establish a team capable of challenging for honours rather than relying only on short-term improvements.
The club’s wider objective is to create a sustainable football project that can restore Al-Ahly Benghazi’s position among Libya’s leading clubs and also compete more effectively at continental level.
A major domestic target is the Libyan Premier League title.
Al-Ahly Benghazi have gone 34 years without winning the league championship and are now aiming to end that long wait by securing what would be the fifth league title in the club’s history.
The victory over Al-Ahly in Cairo gives the Libyan side a positive conclusion to their preparations and adds further belief to their ambitions.
With the new season approaching, Al-Ahly Benghazi will now turn their attention to converting their promising pre-season form and strengthened squad into competitive success.
Their unbeaten camp, the victory over one of Africa’s most successful clubs and the arrival of several high-profile players have combined to create optimism around the club.
For Al-Ahly Benghazi, the immediate challenge will be to ensure that the warning delivered in Cairo is followed by performances that can finally bring an end to their lengthy wait for domestic league glory.
