An Al Ahly legend has insisted that the club's emphatic 5-2 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League proved a turning point in the season for their new head coach.
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The Egyptian giants are potentially on the brink of securing a record-extending 11th Champions League title this coming weekend.
The Red Devils will travel to Casablanca for the second leg of the CAFCL final with a 2-1 advantage, but earlier this season, their chances of making it this far in the competition looked dire.
During the group stage, the north African side conceded five against Masandawana at Loftus Versfeld, and it is that result that former Ahly manager Mohamed Youssef believes changed the trajectory of Marcel Koller's career in Cairo.
"Marcel Koller, in his beginnings with Al Ahly, was focused on the offensive aspect only. Al Ahly were scoring many goals until the Sundowns match," the Egyptian tactician said, as per KingFut.
"The Sundowns match was a turning point in Koller's journey with Al Ahly, and any coach who plays against South African teams with an offensive style will lose.
"After the Sundowns match, Marcel Koller became very interested in the defensive aspect, and this had a positive impact on Al Ahly.
"Wydad is a strong team with exceptional experience, and teams from north Africa, in particular, excel in playing against teams from the southern continent.
"Wydad has the strongest defence in the Champions League, which is an indicator of the Moroccan team's strength.
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"The CAF Champions League will only be decided with the whistle of the second leg match at the Mohammed V Stadium. Wydad will seek to score a goal against Al Ahly in Cairo."
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