Ahli rarely found themselves trailing by two goals going into the second leg of an African competition but they should deal with that unfamiliar situation when they host Libya's Ittihad on Sunday. Ittihad caused the biggest upset in the first legs of the African Champions League round of 16, claiming a 2-0 home victory over an Ahli side who looked toothless without top scorer Emad Meteb. The Red Devils will have to overturn that deficit at Cairo Stadium if they are to avoid an early elimination for the second season running, having missed out on a place in the group stage last year after losing to Nigeria's Kano Pillars. Hossam Al-Badri's side haven't had to bridge such a gap since suffering a 4-0 away defeat by Nigerian side Rangers in the first leg of the 2003 CAF Cup semi final, the competition that was later renamed the Confederation Cup. In the Champions League, Africa's premier club competition, Ahli lost 2-0 to Algeria's ES Setif in the first leg of the 1988 competition's semi final. Since then, they haven't tasted a defeat by a two-goal margin in two-legged ties. "The meeting with Ittihad is our most important game this season," Ahli's combative defender Wael Gomaa said after the six-time African champions won a sixth successive Egyptian Premier League title. "Our delight at the domestic triumph will be over if we fail to go through in the Champions League." Meteb missed the first leg through a back injury, leaving Liberian striker Francis Doe looking as if he was chasing rainbows. The Egypt marksman, Ahli's top scorer in the league with nine goals, shrugged off the complaint in time to take part in the return leg.
Ismaili's task is easier Mercurial midfielder Mohamed Barakat is also available after recovering from a minor knock he picked up in Ahli's 1-1 draw with Ismaili last week. However, versatile midfielder and former Sheffield United man Ahmed Fathi will be missing due to a groin injury. Easier Test Ismaili, Egypt's second representative in the Champions League, face an easier test than their bitter rivals. They host a Hilal side whom they defeated 1-0 in the first leg in Sudan, thanks to a goal from skipper Mohamed Hommos. But complacency is not an option for the inconsistent side, who slipped to fourth in the league table and lost hopes of finishing second, a place that brings Champions League football. "Hilal are a strong team. They can win at home and on the road so we have to be cautious," Ismaili assistant coach Ashraf Khedr said. "They lost 5-2 at home to Mazembe in the semi final of last year's Champions League but managed to defeat them 2-0 in the second leg in Congo. "They bowed out of the competition at the end, but scoring two away goals shows that they have no problems winning away from home."
