Al Ahly secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Smouha on Thursday after defender Yasser Ibrahim struck from distance in the 87th minute to settle a tight Egyptian Premier League match at Cairo International Stadium.
The home side had dominated possession and spent much of the game pressing for a breakthrough, but Smouha’s organised defence kept Al Ahly at bay throughout the first half. Neither team managed to score before the interval, leaving the match level at 0-0.
Al Ahly continued to attack after the restart, looking for a way through a Smouha defence that had remained compact and disciplined. The visitors resisted for long periods, but their resistance finally ended with three minutes of normal time remaining.
Ibrahim collected the ball outside the penalty area before unleashing a powerful shot that flew beyond the goalkeeper and into the net. The strike gave Al Ahly the lead and provided the decisive moment in a match in which the champions had struggled to convert their pressure into clear chances.
The game became more difficult for Smouha two minutes later when referee Amin Omar showed a red card to midfielder Amr El Sisi in the 89th minute. Smouha were unable to respond with 10 men, and Al Ahly held on to claim all three points.
The result takes Al Ahly to nine points from their opening three matches under Moroccan manager Hussein Ammouta. They move into second place in the table, level on points with leaders Pyramids, but behind them on goal difference.
Smouha remain 18th with one point.
Al Ahly opened their Egyptian Premier League campaign with victories over ENPPI and ZED, winning those matches 3-2 and 2-0 respectively. Thursday’s result extended their perfect start, although Ammouta’s side were forced to wait until the closing stages to confirm another win.
For much of the contest, Smouha’s defensive approach limited Al Ahly’s opportunities despite the sustained attacking pressure from the hosts. The visitors’ ability to protect their goal made it appear that the match could end without a winner, but Ibrahim’s long-range effort changed the outcome late on.
The decisive goal was widely shared online in a video clip, accompanied by the Arabic caption: “Look how Yasser Ibrahim did it 🦅💪.. Yasser Ibrahim scores a wonderful goal for Al Ahly against Smouha to put the Red Giants ahead 🔴”.
Al Ahly now sit just behind Pyramids at the top of the early league standings, while Smouha face the task of recovering from a narrow defeat and a late dismissal in their next match.
