Postecoglou: Our ambition is to win every match

Al-Ahly Saudi Arabia began a new phase of restoring technical and moral balance under the leadership of its Dutch coach, Marino Pusic, after it succeeded in achieving two successive victories at the local and continental levels, by defeating Al-Fateh with four goals to none in the Saudi Professional League, before confirming its return to the path of victories by defeating Al-Wasl of the Emirates with a score of 3-1 in the AFC Elite Champions League, sending positive messages to its fans after a period that witnessed fluctuation in results and an increase in results. Criticisms directed at the technical staff.

The recent victories were not just results that added points to the team's tally in the two tournaments, but rather carried greater importance given the circumstances that Al-Ahly experienced during the past weeks, especially after losing the Confederations Cup final to Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, and the questions that followed about Pusic's future and his ability to return the team to its usual levels.

The broad victory over Al-Fateh in Al-Ahsa constituted an important turning point, after Al-Ahly played one of its most prominent offensive matches this season, before moving to Dubai and achieving an away victory over Al-Wasl, confirming that the improvement was not limited to one confrontation, and that the team possesses the technical and human capabilities that enable it to return to the competition.

In the match against Al-Wasl, Al-Ahly took the lead through its Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez in the twentieth minute, before the Emirati team equalized through Pedro Malheiro in stoppage time of the first half. But Al-Ahly regained its advantage in the second half with a goal by Portuguese Francisco Trincao in the 57th minute, before Firas Al-Braikan decided the confrontation with the third goal in stoppage time.

The Asian victory reflects an important aspect of the team's character, after it succeeded in surpassing the equalizer and returning to the lead, and it is one of the points that Pusic needs to consolidate during the next stage, especially since Al-Ahly suffered in some of its previous matches from losing focus and being affected by the goals it conceded.

Pusic found himself facing increasing pressure since he took over the technical job, succeeding German Matthias Jaisse, in light of the high level of public aspirations after Al-Ahly’s continental successes, and the desire of its supporters for the team to continue to be a strong competitor for championships.

The Dutch coach's task was not easy, especially with the succession of matches, the multiplicity of competitions, and the changes witnessed in the administrative system, in addition to the criticism that affected some of his technical choices and the basic formations that he relied on in a number of confrontations.

It seemed that the loss of the Confederations Cup final to Sun Downs put the coach in front of one of his most difficult stages since his arrival in Jeddah, as voices calling for a review of the technical work rose, and questions emerged about his ability to manage big matches and deal with the transformations that occur in their course.

However, the last two victories would give Pusic more space to work away from direct pressure, especially after the team showed improvement in offensive effectiveness and the ability to reach the opponents’ goal, with the diversity of names that contributed to scoring goals.

However, judging the coach’s success cannot be related to only two results, but rather to the extent of his ability to maintain this level and turn victories into a continuous series that returns Al-Ahly to the circle of serious competition for titles.

Al-Ahly’s offensive results during the matches between Al-Fateh and Al-Wasl reveal a remarkable development in investing opportunities, after the team scored seven goals in two matches, which is a positive indicator that reflects the increase in effectiveness in front of goal, in addition to the multiplicity of offensive solutions possessed by the technical staff.

Portuguese Francisco Trincao was one of the most prominent names in the two matches, after he scored two goals against Al-Fateh, and added an important goal against Al-Wasl, while Englishman Ivan Toney continued his scoring presence, and Ziad Al-Juhani and Firas Al-Braikan emerged among the scorers.

This diversity gives Pusic wider options in dealing with competitors, especially since relying on more than one player to score relieves pressure on the outright striker, and makes the attacking danger come from different positions.

On the other hand, the defensive side still needs more work, as maintaining a balance between offensive momentum and defensive organization represents one of the most prominent challenges facing the Dutch coach, especially against teams that have the ability to exploit spaces and quick transitions.

On the administrative and moral level, the recent victories seem important in restoring calm to the club, after the last stage witnessed administrative changes, most notably the end of the relationship with former sports director Rui Pedro, in addition to a state of public dissatisfaction with some results and levels.

At this stage, Al-Ahly needs a stable environment that helps the technical staff and players focus on the field, away from the pressures that accompanied previous results.

The return of victories may also contribute to improving the relationship between the team and its fans, especially since Al-Ahly Stadium is waiting to see a team capable of providing a convincing performance, and not just achieving positive results.

The responsibility of experienced players remains great in maintaining a state of focus and discipline, in addition to helping new elements adapt to the requirements of competition in various tournaments.

Attention is now turning to the next confrontation against Al-Nasr, which will be a clearer test of Pusic’s ability to consolidate the technical improvement that appeared in the last two matches.

Al-Ahly, which regained some of its confidence with two successive victories, will be required to show the same character against a competitor who possesses strong offensive elements, which will put the defensive organization, midfield management, and ability to deal with periods of pressure to the test.

Facing Al-Nasr will also give the technical staff an opportunity to measure the extent of the development of harmony between the players, and the success of the adjustments made by the coach during the last period.

Perhaps the most important value of the last two victories is that they restored Al-Ahly’s confidence in its ability to compete, but maintaining these gains requires continued technical work and mental discipline, and not returning to the mistakes that cost the team the loss of points and important matches.

Between the Al-Fateh quartet and the Al-Wasl quartet, Al-Ahly opened a more optimistic page in its season, and gave its Dutch coach a new opportunity to prove his ability to lead the team towards stability.

The most prominent question remains within the Al-Ahly House: Has Pusic succeeded in finding the combination that will return Al-Ahly to the path of championships, or do the two victories represent the beginning of an awakening that still needs confirmation in major confrontations?