CAIRO: Ittihad assistant coach Mohamed Nour blamed his team s 1-0 defeat at Ahly on the absence of Mohamed Nagi Gedo through automatic suspension.

Gedo s absence negatively affected our frontline and was one of the main reasons why we lost the game, he told the post-match press conference.

He s an integral part of our attacking strategy and we missed him against Ahly.

Gedo, 25, made his name during this year s Nations Cup after he scooped the competition s top scorer award.

He s understood to be targeted by several European clubs, including Olympique Lyon.