Ahly’s title hopes suffered a blow when they squandered a bagful of chances and suffered a 1-0 defeat against title contenders Pyramids FC in the Egyptian Premier League on Thursday.

Brazilian winger Keno scored the only goal of the game when he curled a spectacular effort into the top corner in the 14th minute of the game.

Apart from that, it was all Ahly but they were frustrated by their own poor finishing that left them at bay slipping off the top of the table.

The defending champions are now third with 58 points two adrift of Zamalek and Pyramids FC who have played two games more.

Poor finishing

Ahly had the first sight of goal as early as the eighth minute when Saleh Gomaa was sent clear in the area by Walid Azaro but his poor effort went easily in the hands of keeper Ahmed El-Shennawi.

Four minutes later Geraldo played a backheel from inside the box but he was denied by the keeper.

But it was the visitors who opened the scoring when Brazilian winger Keno received a pass from Mohamed Farouk on the left side sending a beautiful curling shot into the far corner.

After the goal Ahly turned on the style to dominate completely the game but couldn’t get what they deserved due to the poor finishing of their frontmen.

Moroccan striker Walid Azaro could have leveled the score when he beat the offside trap but failed to control the ball allowing El-Shennawi to make a clean save.

He missed another clear cut opportunity as he was found unmarked at the far post by Hussein El-Shahat but his header went over the bar.

And seconds before the break Geraldo missed the target with the goal at his mercy after receiving a precise cross inside the box.

Nothing changed after the interval as Azaro kept on his habit, wasting another easy chance when he powered another header over the bar from inside the box.

Ahly’s keeper El-Shennawi rescued his team when he saved a powerful header from Mansi who connected with a fine corner from Abdallah El-Said.

At the hour mark, Geraldo squandered another chance when defender Omar Gaber’s attempted clearance fell straight at his feet but his poor shot was deflected into the corner.

Ahly attacked en masse forcing their rivals to defend deep in their final third.

Marwan Mohsen and Junior Ajayi came off the bench to bring more firepower but they couldn’t break Pyramids FC defence as Ahly failed to get anything out of this game.