Mohamed Abou-Treika's heydays might be behind him, his agility has somewhat faded but his tenacity still drives him forward and offers a helping hand to Ahli in the most difficult contests. The classy playmaker proved that he remains a force to be reckoned with on Sunday when his second-half goal, a trademark one for a poacher of his caliber, gave Ahli a 1-0 victory over Harras Hodoud in the Egyptian Super Cup. Ahli fans constantly cheer him even when he fails to find top gear but their chants were more vociferous during that night after he unlocked a stubborn Hodoud defense to gift the Red Devils their sixth Super Cup triumph. He was given a standing ovation when he was replaced with youngster Afrotto nine minutes from time. "We have no worries as long as Abou-Treika is on the pitch," his teammate Mohamed Barakat, a fans favorite and a key member of Ahli's squad himself, said after the game. "He always makes the difference. He can score at any moment during the game." Ahli struggled to find a way through a steadfast Hodoud defense marshaled by ex-Ahli full-back Islam Al-Shater. Abou-Treika, who usually plays behind the strikers, was given a more advanced role to support Liberian Francis Doe, who once again failed to justify the faith of coach Hossam Al-Badri in his abilities. The Egyptian international excels most when he controls the ball outside of the penalty area and distributes his precise passes to those who round off the attacking raids but his Super Cup role hardly allowed him to do that. He had to be present in the penalty area for the majority of the game to help Doe mount pressure on opposing defense.
Treika's goal gave Ahli Super Cup title Although such a responsibility limited his prowess in splitting the defense with his deft passes, Abou-Treika still proved to be Ahli's rescuer. Full Advantage The 31-year-old settled the tie in Ahli's favor one minute past the hour mark after taking full advantage of a defensive mistake. A cross from newly-signed midfielder Hossam Ghaly was poorly headed by Hodoud full-back Mohamed Mekki into the path of Abou-Treika, who fired a low shot home with aplomb from inside the area. It was the kind of finishes which helped him score numerous decisive goals in his Ahli career, including a memorable volley that gave the Cairo giants the 2006 African Champions League title at the expense of Tunisia's Sfaxien. Abou-Treika is looking to build on that goal and enjoy a season to remember after struggling to produce convincing displays in an injury-plagued campaign last term. "I was focused on scoring the winner against Hodoud," the former Tersana man, who has earned a cult status among Ahli fans since joining in 2004, said after the game. "I was dejected before the game because I know the fans are not satisfied with my performances. "My primary objective this season is to please those fans who find their joy in football." With Barakat and veteran midfielder Ahmed Hassan shining and new signing Geddo waiting on the wings to impress the Ahli supporters, Abou-Treika should recapture his best form. A strong challenge lies ahead of him.
