JOHANNESBURG, Dec 7: Egyptian players from Al Ahli have decided not to break their Ramadan fast ahead of Saturday’s first leg of the African Champions League final.

They will have their last meal before sunrise on the day of the match, team officials said on Friday.

The players had agreed to continue their religious fast during the Muslim holy month, which does allow travellers and sports people to break their fast in difficult circumstances.

Ahli players will rise at 4am to eat at dawn and will go without food or water past the 3.45pm kick off. The club had last month asked for a later kick off time but the request had been refused by Sundowns.

The potential difficulties for the players exacerbates already tough circumstances for coach Manuel Jose, who has three players suspended and is also without influential playmaker Ibrahim Said.

There is also a question mark over defender Shady Mohamed’s fitness although officials said they were hopeful the player would be fit for Saturday’s game.

If Mohamed is unavailable, it means three of Al Ahli’s regular back four will miss the game with Said and the suspended Wael Gomaa already sidelined.

Jose, the former Benfica coach, said he would be content with a draw in the first leg because he believed the Egyptians would be easy victors in the return game, to be played in Cairo on December 21.

“A draw here is a perfect result for us,” he said on Friday.—Reuters