Al-Hilal a tough obstacle in potentially crunch game for Ahly coach Mosimane

Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal will present a tough obstacle in the path of Al Ahly in Saturday's Fifa Club World Cup third-place playoff at Abu Dhabi's Al Nahyan Stadium, in what may be a crunch match too for Red Devils coach Pitso Mosimane.

Mosimane's stock has entered the stratosphere of continental coaching with his successes at Ahly. Notably he ended a seven-year drought in the club's most sought-after trophy, winning a record-extending ninth Caf Champions League in 2019-20, and then defending it for 10 titles in 2020-21.

His two Caf Super Cups in 2021 and third place at the Covid-19-delayed 2020 Club World Cup in Qatar had the New York Times asking how Mosimane did not make Fifa's seven-man shortlist for their Best awards for coach of the year.

Yet there have been setbacks too. Ahly — playing a manic schedule in an Egyptian season already compressed by the effects of Covid-19, and due to winning the 2020-21 Champions League and participating in Qatar — ceded last season's Egyptian Premier League to bitter rivals Zamalek. The Egyptian Super Cup in September was supposed to offer a shot at redemption but Ahly lost on penalties to lowly Tala'ea El Gaish, prompting R280,000 fines for the Cairo giants' players and coaching staff.

Those fines were reversed when Ahly beat Zamalek 5-3 in a Premier League Cairo derby win in November, and Mosimane notched his fifth trophy beating Raja Casablanca 6-5 on penalties as Ahly defended their Super Cup in December.

Ahly's build-up to the again Covid-19-delayed 2021 Club World Cup had many challenges. One was that Mosimane and Ahly had not agreed terms for a renewal of his contract, which terminates at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Mosimane reportedly irritated the Ahly board when, in a post-match press conference in January, he said he felt he needed stability as the negotiations had gone on too long. Ahly had indicated they would conclude the deal after the Club World Cup.

To what extent that makes at least matching 2020's third place important for Mosimane is not entirely clear, but there must have been some performance motivation in Ahly's wanting to delay a new contract until after the global club tournament.

Mosimane may have been concerned the uncertainty over his contract could be a liability to Ahly at the Club World Cup. That factor, plus the other odds stacked against the African champions, have made for a less-than-ideal environment for the Red Devils in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Fifa's controversial scheduling clash meant Ahly missed six international stars —  who were still on duty for Egypt in Sunday's penalties Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final defeat to Senegal in Yaounde, Cameroon — in Saturday's 1-0 opening second-round win against Mexico's Monterrey.

When Ahly met Brazil's Palmeiras, who the Cairo club beat on penalties in the 2020 third-place playoff, in Tuesday's semifinal Mosimane had received five of his Egypt stars back — goalkeeper Mohemad El Shenawy was injured at Afcon. But they were in poor physical shape from travel and all four of their knockout matches in Cameroon going to extra time.

Mosimane only started two of the returning internationals against Palmeiras, and two came off the bench, as a patchy Ahly lost 2-0.

Against Al-Hilal, Mosimane should be able to reintegrate his internationals better, and finally have a full-strength team in Ahly's third match of the tournament.

But the Asian Football Confederation  champions might still go into the game favourites. Hilal are one of the strongest Middle Eastern teams to have participated in the Club World Cup. They thrashed UAE host club Al-Jazira 6-1 in the second round, then even a fresh Chelsea could only beat Hilal 1-0 in the semis.

Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim has previously led Olympiacos, Sporting and Monaco. His line-up includes huge centre-forward Odion Ighalo, the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations top scorer who Hilal did not release for Nigeria at Cameroon 2021.

Also in the attack are Brazilian Matheus Pereira, Mali international Moussa Mareiga, and Peruvian Andre Carrillo. Impressive Colombian Gustavo Cuéllar bosses the midfield.

It will take all Mosimane's renowned wiles and famous tactical preparedness to put Ahly's challenges — including five injuries — behind them and perhaps crucially match the last edition's third place with a win on Saturday.