CAIRO: Ahly midfielder Ahmed Hassan cited numerical disadvantage as a reason for his team s failure to beat Masri in Port Said in the Egyptian Premier League.
The Red Devils were held to a 1-1 draw in Wednesday s game, which saw Francis Doe receive a straight red card only after 26 minutes.
Hassan, who opened the scoring early in the second half before Ahmed Osman leveled, believes that the match could have ended differently if it wasn t for the Liberian striker s dismissal.
We had enough chances to win the game, Hassan told Modern TV after the match.
The numerical disadvantage has definitely taken a toll on us, and the match was already tough.
Doe received his marching orders four minutes from the half-hour mark, after seemingly head-butting Ashour Al-Adham in the face, following a rough on-ball challenge.
Al-Adham fell down in pain as the referee unhesitatingly sent off Doe, although television replays showed that the latter s assault was barely harmful.