Kohler confident Al Ahly will bounce back after Belouizdad defeat
Al Ahly's head coach, Marcel Kohler, remains optimistic about his team's prospects in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League despite Friday's 1-0 defeat to Belouizdad.
Noufel Khacef’s strike in the first minute of stoppage time sealed the win for the Algerian side, ending Al Ahly’s remarkable 27-match unbeaten streak in the competition.
The result marked Belouizdad’s first-ever win over the Egyptian champions in their six encounters and revitalized their chances in the group.
In the post-match press conference, Kohler emphasized that Al Ahly still leads Group C with seven points and is well-positioned to secure qualification in the upcoming fixtures.
"We are still in the lead, and we can compensate and qualify for the quarter-finals in the next two rounds, whether against Ivorian club Stade d'Abidjan outside Egypt, or against South African club Orlando Pirates in Cairo," Kohler stated.
Reflecting on the match, the Swiss acknowledged the competitive nature of the game and the timing of Belouizdad's decisive goal.
"We haven't lost in the Champions League for a long time; we played a strong match against a team that plays good football and in front of their fans. The match was very competitive," he noted.
He further analyzed the opponent's performance, saying, "Belouizdad didn't create many chances but scored the goal at a very difficult time in the last minutes. Al Ahly played the match in a different style than the third-round match, which the team won 6-1."
Kohler also addressed the team's performance, highlighting areas for improvement. "We didn't perform as required and we lost the ball a lot, which led to the loss," he admitted.
Looking ahead, Kohler sees the defeat as an opportunity for growth and renewed motivation. "We will learn from the lesson well in order to create new motivations for the coming period, and the defeat did not change the group's position much because we are in the lead," he explained.
He also commented on the substitutes' performance, indicating that expectations were not fully met. "The substitutes were supposed to perform well, but they didn't play at the level expected," Kohler observed.
Analyzing the match further, Kohler remarked on the nature of the game and the opponent's opportunities. "The match was a duel between the two teams, and Belouizdad did not get many chances either," he said.
Kohler concluded by expressing confidence in his team's ability to finish the group stage strongly. "We will think about the future and work to finish the group stage in the lead," he affirmed.
Al Ahly's next fixtures include an away match against Stade d'Abidjan and a home game against Orlando Pirates, where they aim to secure their place in the quarter-finals.