CAIRO: Ahly coach Hossam Al-Badri bemoaned his side s inability to convert their chances in the goalless draw with arch-rivals Zamalek in Tuesday s Cairo derby. Honors were even after both sides failed to find the net in a somewhat dour affair at Cairo Stadium. A lack of cutting edge did not help Ahly, who missed several key players due to injuries, score a decisive winner. The players should have done better in front of the goal, especially in the second half, Al-Badri told reporters after the game. Ahly had to do without inspirational playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika, mercurial midfielder Mohamed Barakat and strike duo Emad Meteb and Francis Doe. Al-Badri initially relied on Mohamed Fadl as a lone frontman, supported by attacking midfielders Ahmed Hassan and Ahmed Shokri. He failed to impress though to prompt Al-Badri, under whom Ahly are yet to taste defeat this season, to introduce two strikers in Mohamed Talaat and Ahmed Belal. Both men might have injected zeal but they were unable to apply the finishing touch. We were very good in the second half after putting in a below par display in the first, but we could not make our dominance count after wasting some goal-scoring opportunities, Al-Badri added. The absentees also affected us but I have to thank God for the result. The Red Devils, who eye a sixth consecutive league triumph, are still on top of the league table with 28 points, four clear of Petrojet and Gaish.
