Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane says he used the experience within his squad to overcome Al Masry SC in the Egyptian Premier League.

The Red Eagles secured their 11th victory in the league so far this season following their 2-1 win over Al Masry on Tuesday evening through a brace by Mohamed Sherif.

Second-placed Ahly now have 36 points after 15 games and moved within three points of current log-leaders Zamalek SC, with two matches in hand over their rivals.

However, Mosimane admits that his side had to work hard to earn all three points against Al Masry, reserving special praise for his experienced players in pulling off the win.

‘Today’s game was very difficult on us, especially that our opponent had 10 days to prepare before the game, while we only had two days,’ Mosimane told his club’s official website.

‘I did not start with Mohamed Hany as he recently recovered from his injury. I preferred to put him on the bench and to give him some playing time in the second half.

‘I would like to praise my players for their performance tonight, especially Saad Samir. Also, Mohamed El Shenawy, Ramy Rabia, and Ahmed Nabil Koka showed great performance in today’s encounter.

‘During the first half, the players did not take the right decisions on the field. However, we depended on our experience to defeat Al Masry SC, whom missed many scoring chances against us. Aside from that, they are are a very good team and deserve to be in the top four.

‘We changed our playing style as we suffered from fatigue. We were keen to be more defensive in the game and to depend on counter-attacks. However, it was difficult as Al Masry were playing with high pressure in order to win the game.

‘Finally, I am keen to give some rest to my players to protect them from any injuries. However, it is very difficult for us to maintain that level of performance due to the pressure of our overwhelmed schedule.’