Hossin Ammouta: I was surprised by some mistakes, and we paid a heavy price against the channel.
Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta expressed his disappointment after the thrilling 3-3 draw against Al-Qanah in a match held at Cairo International Stadium, as part of the seventh round of the Egyptian Premier League.
Match Goals
Al-Ahly's goals came from Omar El-Saei in the 18th minute, Moroccan Achraf Bencharki in the second minute of stoppage time in the first half, and Ashraf Dari in the dying moments of the match. Al-Qanah scored through Mahmoud Hani in the 34th minute, Hazem Abu Sanna in the 54th minute, and Yassin Marai (an Al-Ahly player) with an own goal in the 80th minute.
Defensive Mistakes and Lack of Focus
Ammouta began his statements at the post-match press conference by saying: "Mistakes can happen in football, and our ambition was greater today to secure the three points. However, I was surprised by some mistakes that we paid dearly for, especially defensive errors and the lack of focus from several players."
He added: "We faced a decline in the performance of some players today, which is a normal occurrence in football. From my perspective as a coach, it was difficult to substitute any player early or at halftime, and I preferred to give them a bigger chance to correct the situation. Making quick changes is challenging; all the players who faced criticism today had performed excellently in previous matches."
Regret Over the Result and Not Undermining Zamalek's Victory
The Al-Ahly coach continued: "We did not achieve what we aspired to today, and we did not handle the match well. We also did not show the necessary determination during certain periods of the game."
In response to journalists' inquiries about the match management and some players, Ammouta clarified: "There is no personal issue against Mohamed Hani or any other player. My discussions with any player on the field are purely tactical during the match. We need to focus more in the upcoming period to address the defensive errors, as Al-Ahly's ambitions are always high."
Ammouta also reflected on previous matches, stating: "The team performed very well against Ugandan Kitarra despite the travel difficulties, and we were also good in the match against Zamalek. I thank the fans who supported us, and we played a strong match against Zamalek. It is truly shameful to undermine the significant victory we achieved against them."
A Message of Hope and Responsibility
Ammouta concluded his statements by affirming the team's readiness for the upcoming phase: "If we had been fully mentally present in today's match, we would have won against Al-Qanah. I do not believe that Al-Ahly will leave this season empty-handed. My coaching staff and I take full responsibility, and the players must also bear their responsibilities. We promise everyone that we will be at the required level in the coming period."
Al-Ahly and Al-Qanah's Standings in the League
With this result, Al-Ahly's points tally rose to 17, placing them second in the Egyptian Premier League standings, while Al-Qanah's points increased to 8, putting them in eleventh place in the table.
