After being stranded in Mali following an attempted coup, Ahli's second leg match against Malien in the African Champions League round 16 was delayed for two days, Ahmed Morsy reports The Confederation of African Football (CAF) approved a two-day delay in Ahli's second leg match against Stade Malien after the club was trapped in Mali for four days following an attempted coup in the African country. Ahli were defeated 1-0 by Stade Malien in the African Champions League first leg match of round 16. Six-time African champions Ahli asked CAF for a postponement of the second leg after the team's late arrival in Cairo following the civil unrest. The CAF announced on their official website that they had decided to postpone the game for 48 hours. The match which was scheduled for Saturday 12 May will now be played on Monday 14 May. Earlier in the week, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling military council, sent a military aircraft to Mali which has been in the throes of violence since an initial coup in March, to bring back the team and press delegation. According to Ahli's official website, the delegation announced that players and staff could not leave their hotel, with severe weather conditions adding to the political turmoil. The Cairo giants were forced to stay in their hotel as tension escalated between counter-coup soldiers and the military junta in Mali, with clashes killing over 25 in just the few days Ahli were in Mali. "For me, it was the most difficult trip I've ever made with the team, not just due to the long journey but also because the atmosphere outside the hotel was mysterious," Ahli football director Sayed Abdel-Hafiz told the club's satellite channel following their return. "Everything was happening around us which we couldn't understand. We were always waiting for the unknown. There was big anxiety of course. "We were always told to stay put and be together, but to be fair, the fighting was not close to our hotel. We used to hear gunfire but that was far away from us," Abdel-Hafiz added. Malien will bring to Cairo a 1-0 win from the first leg match and the aggregate winner after the return match will qualify for the group stage while the loser drops to the Orange CAF Confederation Cup competition. Thus, Ahli must beat their Malian guests if they want to advance. What adds to Ahli's burden is that amidst the security concerns, their second leg game will be held in a military stadium behind closed doors. The club had demanded that fans be allowed to attend. "We really wanted the support of our beloved fans in the decisive home game but we are committed to the security authorities' decision," Abdel-Hafiz said. Since 1 February -- when the Port Said tragedy in which 75 fans were killed shocked Egyptian football -- security concerns have heightened around games held in stadiums. There has been continued unrest following the 25 January Revolution that forced out former president Hosni Mubarak. During the week, Ahli were in talks with several sides to hold a friendly game as part of their preparations for their decisive match against Stade Malian on Monday. "We will play a warm-up game in the upcoming days, probably against Libya, who are in Egypt now, or with Dakhleya," the club was quoted as saying on their official website. The Egyptian champions were close to reaching an agreement with Wadi Degla to play a friendly on Wednesday. As a result of a knee injury early in the first leg after a collision with a Stade Malian player that forced him to leave the game, Ahli defender Wael Gomaa will miss the second leg match since he will need more than two weeks before rejoining training, according to Ahli's doctor Ehab Ali. On the other hand, Zamalek are preparing to face Morocco's Maghreb Fez in the second leg of the CAF Champions League round of 16 on 13 May. The first leg finished 2-0 in favour of the Whites in Morocco. Like Ahli, Zamalek will play the second leg match without fans, even though they made a joint request with their arch-rivals Ahli to play in front of their fans. Zamalek forward Ahmed Hossam "Mido" revealed that he will join training with his team after resolving a salary dispute with the team's management. "I will train by myself before taking part in the team's training session soon," Mido was quoted on the club's official website. "I will back Zamalek in the Maghreb Fez game. I hope to take part in the second leg clash," he added. Mido's participation is contingent upon his form after missing out on the last training session and being absent during many league matches due to arguments with management. Zamalek announced on their official site that they agreed with the 29-year-old striker to pay his salary after the player sent an official letter of complaint to the club's management asking for LE4.7 million ($790,000) owed to him. Mido had warned he would take the issue to the Egyptian Football Association (EFA). During Sunday's meeting between management and the player, Mido said money was not the biggest problem, complaining of what he called was his ill treatment by the club's president. "We thank Mido for his rapport with the management. He did not speak about his delayed payment," Zamalek's vice president Sabri Serag said. "Mido will join the team's training sessions on Tuesday after resolving the salary issue and will support his teammates during the Maghreb Fez game" the vice-president confirmed. As for Enppi, they are scheduled to play away against Mali's CO Bamako after beating them 3-1 in Cairo in the continent's second tier football club championship, the CAF Confederation Cup, in its round of 16 first leg. The Petroleum club had asked the CAF to change the location of the game against CO Bamako following the recent violence in the West African country that affected Ahli. But CAF insisted the game be held in Mali. "They refused our request to play the game outside Mali so we'll meet tomorrow at the club's headquarters to see what can be done," club chairman Mohammed Badreddin said. "Our players will be in danger if they play there," Badreddin added. After their 3-1 win in the first leg match, Enppi need a goalless draw or win to advance to the next round.
