Ahly’s Emirates camp is progressing but gradually

Ahly’s goalkeepers coach Ahmed Nagy praised the club’s goal keeper Sherif Ekramy after his outstanding performance at Monday’s 1-0 friendly win against Emirates’ side Dubai in the second match of the current Emirates camp. “Ekramy’s performance was marvelous especially as he has just recovered from injury. He saved us from a lot of goals,” Nagy told Ahly’s TV channel after the game. The Red Devils launched a closed camp in UAE as part of preparations for the game against Ethiopian Coffee in the 32nd round of the CAF African Champions League on 23 March. The Cairo Giants resumed playing recently following a 40-day mourning period after the Port Said football stadium attacks on 1 February, which left over 70 dead - many of them Ahly fans. Since the incident, domestic football has been put on hold. Ahly lost 3-2 to Kuwaiti side Shabab in their first friendly in Emirates last Friday and they still have one friendly in hand during the outside camp. “The current camp is totally different from our previous ones," Nagy said. "It lacks any sense of humour, but I think we are gradually getting rid of the bad effects resulting from the Port Said disaster and the players will regain their mental and physical fitness.”