Ahli became the first team to qualify for the Egyptian league knockouts with a dramatic win over Harras Hodoud. A first-half penalty by the fit-again Walid Soliman gave Ahli the lead for most of the game until former Reds striker Sherif Ashraf came off the bench to level on 87 minutes. But defender Saad Samir netted his first-ever senior goal one minute from normal time to avenge Ahli's drubbing defeat to Hodoud in the first round. The victory, Ahli's seventh on the trot, means the defending champions are guaranteed a top-two finish as they lead ENPPI by seven points. Thrilling end After missing their previous four penalties in domestic competitions, Ahli handed the fit-again Soliman the task of converting a spot kick after a foul by Islam Ramadan. The Egypt international made no mistake with a powerful effort after 10 minutes. Once again, Ahli keeper Sherif Ekrami made a crucial save to preserve his team's lead, thwarting a clear-on-goal Ahmed Sabri. Ahmed Shedid, who scored with a freekick against Bani Suef Telephones last week, almost did it again with an even better effort that rattled the bar. Three minutes from time, Hodoud thought they have ended Ahli's six-match winning streak when Ashraf headed in the equalizer amid some terrible marking by the Reds. However, Ashraf's ecstasy at scoring against his boyhood club was shattered by a powerful header from the unfancied Samir, following a splendid cross by Ahmed Nabil ‘Manga' one minute from time.
