Ahli concluded their Egyptian League games before the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup (CWC) in style after thrashing 10-man Olympic 5-1 at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday. Mahmoud Al-Atar's goal for Olympic in the 11th minute cancelled out Emad Meteb's early opener before Ahli skipper Shadi Mohamed put the hosts ahead. Midfielder Mohamed Shawki added the third just before the interval and Osama Hosni killed-off Olympic's hopes four minutes past the hour mark. Angolan striker Flavio Amado completed the rout in the 77th minute to boost Ahli's morals before flying to Japan for the CWC campaign on Saturday. The victory placed Ahli temporarily on top of the league table with 29 points and two games in hand, two ahead of second-placed Ismaili, who play Harras Al-Hodoud later on Saturday. Meteb broke the deadlock as early as the second minute when his free-kick deflected off the wall and went into the back of the net after deceiving Olympic's Iraqi keeper Saad Nasser. Despite scoring the opener, Ahli's defense couldn't find their usual rhythm as Emad Al-Nahhas made his first competitive start in four months alongside Shadi and Mohamed Sedik after recovering from injury. Olympic grabbed the equalizer nine minutes later when a deft through pass beat the offside trap and went into the path of Mohamed Ragab, who passed across the goal to the onrushing Al-Atar before he collected the ball and rounded Al-Nahhas to slot into the empty net.
In the 15th minute, Ahli striker Hosni latched on to Flavio's chip pass and headed home but the goal was ruled out for offside. A surprising attacking approach from the newly-promoted Olympic saw them waste another opportunity in the 21st minute. Al-Atar fired a powerful shot from a free-kick but Ahli keeper Essam Al-Hadari dived to tip it over the bar. Ahli responded six minutes later when Flavio capitalized on a defender's clearance on the edge of the area to unleash a shot that was blocked by Nasser. The match witnessed a turning point in the 32nd minute after Meteb was released by Flavio's pass before going face-to-face with the keeper but Sameh Hagras intercepted with a tough challenge from behind that resulted in him being sent-off. Shadi stepped-up and converted the awarded penalty into the right top corner of the net to restore the lead for Ahli. Shawki added the third in the first-half stoppage time after a goal-mouth scramble slipped the ball into his path to poke home from close range. Hosni completed the rout in the 64th minute from an opportunist strike when Olympic defender Mahmoud Attia's poor clearance inside his own area struck the 24-year-old's body and went into the back of the net. Flavio put the icing on the cake in the 77th minute after he rose at the near post to receive Hossam Ashour's corner with a backward header past Nasser.
