Ismailia-Yasser Al-Sherif: Ismaili coach Patrice Neveu has conceded that winning second place in the Egyptian league would be very hard, ahead of his team's game against Ahli on Friday. The French manager had previously said that he was aiming to secure the runner-up place that would guarantee Ismaili a spot in next season's CAF Champions League, but now he admits that things have changed. “We don't only have to beat Ahli, Zamalek also have to lose Masri in order for us to finish the league as runners-up,” Neveu told FilGoal.com on Thursday. Ismaili's situation got complicated after Zamalek beat arch-rivals Ahli 2-0 in the Cairo derby game that took place on Monday.
Ismaili beat Ahli 3-0 in January Ismaili are currently in third place on 64 points, trailing second placed Zamalek by a single point with one round left to play. The Dervishes, who handed Ahli a 3-0 drubbing in the first-half of the season, should face no problem overcoming the title holders who are fielding second-string players since being crowned champions on May 13th. Nevertheless, the game still attracts special interest for the football-crazed fans in the coastal city. “For me, it's about winning the 3 points,” said Neveu. “I'm a foreign coach such rivalries don't mean much to me, but apparently it's a big deal here in Ismailia.” Ismaili will also be without two of their key-players, Omar Gamal and Sayed Moawad, who have been suspended until the end of the season for disciplinary reasons.
