Preview: Ahly out to avoid embarrassing Champions League exit

The defending champions will be seeking to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit when they host Tanzania's Young Africans in Alexandria on Sunday

Defending champions Ahly, who are still struggling for consistency, will be keen to avoid an embarrassing Champions League exit from the preliminaries when they host Tanzania's Young Africans in Alexandria on Sunday.
The Red Devils failed to build up on their African Super Cup triumph at the expense of Tunisia's Sfaxien, as another error-ridden display gifted Young Africans a surprise 1-0 victory in the first leg of the Champions League round of 32.
Coach Mohamed Youssef, who is already under pressure for some disappointing display, can ill afford another slip-up, let alone an early exit from a competition that Ahly won the past two years after overcoming the adverse effects of the Egyptian football instability.
Ahly have not been eliminated at the last 32 stage since suffering a stunning loss to Sudan's Hilal in 2004 when they were just embarking on a rebuilding process following two disappointing years.
They are on a similar course this year, with the retirement of forwards Mohamed Barakat and Mohamed Abou-Treika, who formed the backbone of a hugely-successful Ahly side, depriving them of much-needed creativity and zeal upfront.
Veteran defender Wael Gomaa, who will also hang up his boots at the end of the season, is way past his prime and several of Ahly's fresh faces are yet to prove their worth.
"We are capable of overturning the 1-0 deficit, but we have to be cautious because Young Africans boast some pacey and skilful forwards," Gomaa, 38, said on Ahly's official website.
No fans
Ahly will play away from their usual Cairo venue following the crowd trouble which marred their thrilling 3-2 victory over Sfaxien last month, which saw their fans clash with security forces towards the end.
The game will take place at Max Stadium, a military-owned venue in Egypt's second-biggest city Alexandria which usually hosts the matches of Haras El-Hodoud.
They will have to do without their passionate supporters, whose actions following the win over Sfaxien prompted Egyptian authorities to reimpose a crowd ban.
"It doesn't matter where we will play, we can cope with everything. Remember last year when we played our entire Champions League campaign in [Egyptian Red Sea resort] El-Gouna," Gomaa added.
Youssef will almost have a fully-fit squad to choose from, with the only absentee being striker Emad Meteb who was ruled out of the game due to injury.
Meteb has fallen down the pecking order due to his constant fitness problems, with promising forward Amr Gamal and Egyptian international Gedo occupying his place in the starting line-up.
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