Al Ahly suffered a surprising stumble, drawing 3-3 with El Qanah in the Egyptian Premier League, dropping two valuable points in the title chase and reigniting questions regarding the team’s performances under the guidance of Houcine Ammouta.
The draw took place at the Cairo International Stadium as part of the seventh matchday, a fixture the Red Eagles entered holding the momentum of recent results, but they failed to convert their lead into victory, conceding three goals that exposed a clear decline in defensive solidity.
Omar El Al Saei opened the scoring for Al Ahly before Mody Shalata equalized. The Reds then restored their lead through an own goal by Ibrahim Samy, but El Qanah hit back again courtesy of Hazem Abou Senna, followed by another own goal from Yassin Marei, before the thrilling encounter ended in a draw.
The result lifted Al Ahly’s tally to 17 points in second place, four points behind leaders Pyramids—who boast a 100% record—and one point ahead of third-placed Zamalek, while El Qanah moved up to eight points.
This marked Al Ahly’s second draw in seven matchdays, alongside five wins and no defeats. However, conceding three goals in a single match has raised concerns, as their net was breached by El Qanah as many times as it had been across their previous six combined fixtures.
The result revives the debate surrounding Ammouta’s selection choices and match management, having previously faced criticism via Al Ahly’s official channel following a draw with El Mokawloon El Arab, particularly regarding playing style and tactical decisions, though no official announcement has been made regarding a change in the coaching staff.
The setback comes after the Moroccan manager had restored a measure of calm by defeating Zamalek 2-0, followed by an away win against Uganda’s Kitara FC 2-1 in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup Round of 32, before that positive momentum was halted by El Qanah.
Al Ahly will have little time to correct their mistakes, as they host Kitara on Sunday, October 25, at the Cairo International Stadium in the second leg, looking to secure qualification for the group stage and swiftly restore confidence.
Following their continental engagement, the Red Eagles return to league action against Modern Sport on Thursday, October 29—a test that gains heightened importance with the gap widening behind Pyramids, as Ammouta seeks to return to winning ways and deliver a performance that eases the criticism.
