Ahli assistant coach Alaa Maihoub branded the Red Devils' 2-2 draw with Gaish in the Egyptian Premier League as a 'harsh lesson'. Defending champions Ahli ended the first half with a two-goal advantage, but the military side roared back to form after the interval to restore parity. Maihoub believes the Cairo giants let a victory slip through their grasp. "We warned our player off easing up after they scored twice," he told the post-match news conference. "We had to take off Emad Meteb and Sayed Moawad because they suffered from fatigue in the second period." Both players have recently reported back from international duty, as they were part of Egypt's triumphant Nations Cup campaign. Praiseworthy Display On the other hand, Gaish tactician Farouk Gafaar put down his men's impressive comeback down to their match fitness. "Our performance was great, especially in the second half," he told Egyptian TV. "After Ahli lost their edge I wanted to win the game. Our match fitness was a major advantage "We produced a praiseworthy display regardless of the result."
