Egyptian Premier League holders Ahli lock horns with highflying leaders and arch-rivals Zamalek in a tense finale to the year 2010. For the first time in quite a while, the Whites are favorites to pull off an overdue victory over Ahli, who have been significantly dominant in Egypt's top contest over the past few years. This time Hossam Hassan's men enter the game with a comfortable six-point lead on top of the league table and could well put one hand on the title with a victory on Thursday. One player who will surely be the man to watch at Cairo Stadium is Zamalek's number 10 Shikabala. “Shikabala is a talented footballer and is a major asset for the team,” said Hassan. “But we can't build all our plans solely on him, simply because we know that he will be tightly marked, probably with more than one player. “Therefore every player has a role and every player is important in his position. We play as a team and our unity is our primary weapon.” Shikabala hit five goals in Zamalek's last four matches, inspiring his side with some slick strikes that put him on top of the league's scoring charts with nine. Spirit, youth and fans While Zamalek had talisman Shikabala to thank for their vital four-match winning streak, Ahli had their fair share of problems recently, including managerial instability after the sudden departure of Hossam Al-Badri last month. The league champions, currently under the management of Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Shafi ‘Zizo', have also been hit by injury problems to some key players as others have been notably off-form. Goalkeeper Sherif Ekrami and his deputy Ahmed Adel have been missing for about a month with knee injuries, leaving the inexperienced Mahmoud Aboul-Saoud stumbling between the posts.
Mohamed Barakat, Hossam Ashour, Sayed Moawad, Mohamed Fadl, Francis Doe and Mohamed Talaat have all been frequently visiting the physio recently. But Zizo, who is on the verge of finishing his temporary task, has some plans to rejuvenate the misfiring Reds. “We prepared well for the game and the spirit is high in our camp. The players are determined to produce a good performance and satisfy the fans,” said the former Ahli star. “We've been suffering with injury problems, but I think this is the time for youngsters to emerge especially after some of them were able to blend in with the team lately. “We were also unlucky at times, specifically in our last match with Arab Contractors where we missed a lot of easy chances, but hopefully our great fans will give us a push.” Team news Zamalek are missing two key figures upfront as striker Amr Zaki is nursing a troublesome knee, while Qatar forward Hussein Yasser is away on international duty. On the other hand, Ahli will be without first-choice striker Fadl, who aggravated a nagging hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw with Contractors. Liberian Doe is also unfit to be involved. Veteran Ahmed Hassan is a long-term absentee, while vice-captain Ahmed Al-Sayed sustained a groin injury and was ruled out. Center-half Sherif Abdul-Fadil has returned to the squad after being dropped from last weekend's game with Contractors. The Red Devils also regain the services of keeper Adel as Zizo will decide whether to rush him back or keep the faith in Aboul-Saoud. Midfield pillar Ashour has been declared fit to start despite aggravating an ankle problem recently.
