Al-Ahly made a big step towards the semi-finals of the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship, with the largest win of the first day of the competition, 41:14, against Sydney Uni.

GROUP B
Al-Ahly SC (EGY) vs Sydney Uni (AUS) 41:14 (20:6)

One year ago, in the previous edition of the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, Al-Ahly took a 49:15 win against Sydney Uni, cementing their place into the semi-finals of the competition.

Knowing fully well that they needed a big goal difference in this match to boost their chances of progression between the top four teams once again, Al-Ahly, which had the right to choose the group they played in, aimed for another big win against their Australian counterparts and decided to play in Group B, alongside the title holders, Veszprem HC.

But with Veszprem being a strong opponent, Al-Ahly knew they need to start strong against Sydney Uni and they did just that, with a strong display in the first half, as they jumped to an early 9:2 lead after only 11 minutes.

Sure enough, their defence was the top weapon, providing easy fast breaks opportunities, which right wing Omar Hassan converted with ease. In fact, Hassan was almost flawless in the first 30 minutes, scoring 12 goals from 13 shots, double the number of goals scored by Sydney Uni.

With Hassan exiting the fray after the break as the top scorer of the first day of the 2025 IHF Men’s Club World Championship, Al-Ahly still continued to pounce, despite having a 14-goal lead, 20:6, at the break, exactly the same scoreline like one year ago, when they thoroughly dominated the Australian side.

After goalkeeper Abdelrahman Taha put a clinical performance in the first half, with a 57% saving efficiency, Al-Ahly’s other shot stopper, Mohamed Ibrahim, saved six of the first nine shots he faced in the second half, for a 66% saving efficiency, limiting Sydney to single digits until the 48th minute.

When the Australian side scored their 10th goal of the match, Al-Ahly were up 22 goals, 31:9, and with the goal difference in mind, the Egyptian powerhouse continued to pounce and eventually settled for a 41:14 win, a downgrade from last year’s 34-goal win, but enough to put them head and shoulders above their rivals, who earned wins by five and two goals respectively.

Sydney Uni will face title holders Veszprem HC on Saturday, while on Sunday, the big clash between Al-Ahly and the Hungarian side is scheduled, likely deciding both sides’ fates in this competition.

Player of the Match: Omar Hassan (Al-Ahly)