Al Ahly eye flying start with Stade d'Abidjan

Al Ahly will be determined to start their CAF Champions League Group C campaign with a win over Stade d'Abidjan at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday.

Kick-off is at 6pm CAT.

CURRENT FORM

The Red Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Ittihad in Friday's Egyptian Premier League match and the draw extended their unbeaten run to nine matches across all competitions in regulation time.

Al Ahly, who are the defending champions, are undefeated in their last 15 home matches in the Champions League having registered two draws and 13 victories including their current five-match winning streak.

Stade d'Abidjan, on the other hand, are coming into this Group C opener having drawn 0-0 with Stella in November 14's Ivorian Ligue 1 clash and they are undefeated in their last six matches across all competitions.

The Yeyes, who are making a return to the Champions League after a long absence having won the 1966 edition, registered an away win over Senegal's Teungueth FC before losing to Milo of Guinea.

WHAT WAS SAID?

Al Ahly head coach Marcel Koller

"Al Ahly succeeded in creating many opportunities in the attacking aspect, and wasted many goals due to not finishing the attacks in the appropriate manner," Koller said on the club website after the Al-Ittihad match.

"Al Ahly wasted a penalty kick in the first half, but in the second half the performance improved more, and the team scored a goal from a penalty kick. Al-Ittihad of Alexandria took advantage of a defensive mistake and scored the equalizer, and I am not happy with the result."

Stade d'Abidjan head coach Alexandre Lafitte

“We are in a tough group because we have been drawn with some of the most experienced teams in Africa especially Al Ahly who has been one of the best teams in Africa in the past years," Lafitte said on King Fut.

“I have known we will play in the CAF Champions League since arriving in Abidjan. I have worked on preparing the players since I arrived here and we have some good players. We will work hard to qualify for the group.”

HEAD-TO-HEAD

This will be the first meeting between Al Ahly and Stade d'Abidjan in the Champions League.