Ahly, Saoura battle for top spot

Al Ahly player Ali Maaloul in action

Thursday Mar 14, 2019. 15:00

Al Ahly and JS Saoura will battle for top spot in Group D of the CAF Champions League when they meet at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria on Saturday, 16 March 2019, kick-off at 18h00 CAT.

Egyptian giants Ahly come into the match placed second on the log with seven points and on course to reach the quarterfinals.

This is despite them falling to a 1-0 defeat away to DR Congo giants AS Vita in Kinshasa last weekend, with Tuisila Kisinda scoring a late goal for the Black Dolphins.

Meanwhile, Algerian side Saoura clinched a 2-0 home win over Tanzania’s Simba SC (with goals from Sid Ali Yahia-Cherif and Mohamed Hammia).

The result took the Eagles to the top of the log on eight points and put then within touching distance of a first ever qualification for the final eight of the premier continental competition.

Ahly need a win to guarantee progression into the quarterfinals, though a draw would be enough if the other Group D match between Simba and Vita in Dar es Salaam also ends all-square.

Saoura will advance with a victory or draw, but even a defeat would not prevent them going through if the match in Tanzania ends in a draw (as they would be ranked ahead of Vita on head-to-heads).

Ahly have been in good form at home through the group stage, racking up 2-0 and 5-0 wins over Vita and Simba respectively, while they have also secured permission from authorities to increase their supporter cap at the stadium from 10,000 to 15,000.

Tunisian referee Sadok Selmi will take charge of the match in Alexandria.