Al-Ahly substitute Mohamed Aboutrika celebrates after scoring the deciding goal against Japan's Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Sunday's Club World Cup quarterfinal in Toyota, which was a 2-1 win for the African champions.
(CNN) -- Al Ahly's incredible journey continued on Sunday as the Egyptian soccer side reached the semifinals of the Club World Cup in Japan.
While back home protesters demonstrated against President Mohamed Morsy's planned constitutional referendum, Al Ahly set up a clash with South American champions Corinthians on Thursday.
"Ahly fans can now dream of reaching the final. We, too, dream of this, and we'll do our best to clinch the title," coach Hossam El-Badry told the club's television channel after a 2-1 victory over J-League winners Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
With the Egyptian league suspended since the deaths of more than 70 fans at Ahly's match in Port Said in February, it is a miracle the Cairo team has got this far.
Read: Ultras seek justice for fan deaths
A street vendor grills corn as Egyptian soldiers stand guard at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, December 18, in Cairo. Protesters opposed to President Mohamed Morsy's first round of voting in the constitutional referendum gather during continuing demonstrations.
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The 2011-12 Egyptian revolution thrust an unlikely group of young people into the country's political conscience: organized groups of soccer fans called "ultras."
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Ahly qualified for the tournament by winning the African title for a record-extending seventh time last month, when the second leg in Tunisia was played the same day that more than 50 children died in a train accident in Egypt.
Most of its home games in the African Champions League were played behind closed doors due to security fears, while the first leg of the final was held at a military facility near Alexandria.
"#Ahly is the only entity that can unite millions behind it on one opinion, hope, and dream," one fan wrote on Twitter after Sunday's game in Toyota.
Veteran Mohamed Aboutrika scored a second-half winner in a match marred by a serious injury to the man he replaced -- Ahly's captain and key playmaker Hossam Ghaly.
Battling snowy, cold conditions Ahly took the lead after 15 minutes when Hiroshima's replacement goalkeeper Takuya Masuda was given no chance by Elsayed Hamdi.
Masuda had been forced into the fray in just the fifth minute when regular No. 1 Shusaku Nishikawa was carried off with a facial injury after colliding with Ahly striker Gedo.
The home side equalized after Ahly captain Ghaly went off with a suspected ruptured knee ligament, as the J-League's leading scorer Hisato Sato netted in the 32nd minute.
Aboutrika, playing at the tournament for the fourth time, scored his fourth goal to go level with record-holders Lionel Messi of Argentina and former Brazil international Denilson.
Ahly also reached the semifinals in 2006, losing to Brazilian side Internacional before winning the third-place playoff against Mexico's Club America.
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"The Corinthians are a great team. We'll do our best to get a positive result and dedicate the title to the victims of the Port Said stadium disaster," said the 34-year-old Aboutrika, who was also in the 2006 team.
"Playing with Brazilian opponents is always interesting for me. Also, Brazil is a great thing for me, especially since I dream of reaching the World Cup there with the national team."
Mexican team Monterrey also qualified for the semifinals, setting up a clash with European champions Chelsea on Thursday by beating Asian titleholders Ulsan Hyundai 3-1.
Monterrey, winners of the CONCACAF Champions League last season, took the lead in the ninth minute through 19-year-old winger Jesus Corona while former Argentina international Cesar Delgado added two late goals.
The Korean side scored an 88th-minute consolation through 2012 Asian player of the year Lee Keunho, whose long-range shot eluded keeper Jonathan Orozco.
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Al-Ahly midfielder Hossam Ashour takes a tumble as he fights for the ball with Sanfrecce Hiroshima's Toshihiro Aoyama (right) and Koji Morisaki (left) in the snowy conditions.
Mexico's Monterrey also went through to the last four, as 19-year-old winger Jesus Corona (left) scored the opening goal against Asian titleholders Ulsan Hyundai.
Former Argentina international Cesar Delgado then scored a double in a 3-1 victory over the South Korean team to set up Thursday's match against European champions Chelsea.
Protesters chant slogans during a demonstration at the Presidential Palace on December 18 in Cairo.
An Egyptian woman types on her laptop before the start of a demonstration opposing President Mohamed Morsy on December 18 in Cairo.
People make their way through a market place on Monday, December 17, in Cairo.
A supporter of Egypt's President Mohamed Morsy and the Muslim Brotherhood holds Quran as he shouts during a demonstration in Cairo on Friday, December 14.
Women pray during a demonstration in support of President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo on December 14.
Egyptian army tanks are deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Thursday, December 13. Egypt's crisis showed no sign of easing as the army delayed unity talks meant to ease political divisions and the opposition set near-impossible demands for taking part in a looming constitutional referendum.
Girls walk with Egypt's national flag draped over their backs to a rally for supporters of President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo on Tuesday, December 11.
Protesters on December 11 attempt to bring down cement walls that security forces placed around the presidential palace in Cairo.
Security forces stand guard in front of the presidential palace in Cairo on December 11.
Protesters opposed to Egypt's president demonstrate on top of a barricade erected by the Egyptian army to protect the presidential palace in Cairo on December 11.
A young protester climbs atop a barricade erected by the Egyptian army on December 11. There were no incidents of violence and soldiers held the line as a couple of hundred protesters pressed up against waist-high crowd barriers.
Protesters remove part of a metal barrier protecting the presidential palace on December 11.
Egyptian army troops stand guard in front of a metal barricade on December 11.
An Egyptian army soldier patrols outside the Egyptian presidential palace on Monday, December 10, in Cairo. The Egyptian political crisis erupted last month when President Mohamed Morsy issued an edict allowing himself to run the country unchecked until the drafting of a new constitution.
Members of the Egyptian opposition gather for a protest outside the presidential palace on Sunday, December 9, in Cairo. The palace has been the scene of violent clashes pitting thousands of protesters -- for and against Morsy.
Guy Fawkes masks are displayed by a street vendor in front of the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo on December 9. The masks depict Fawkes, a rebel executed in England's Gunpowder Plot seeking to blow up the House of Lords in the early 1600s.
Egyptian army engineers and soldiers build a third line of concrete blocks outside of the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo in preparation for more protests on December 9.
An Egyptian protester sweeps the street near army tanks deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on December 8, after continued protests overnight.
A sticker depicting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy reads "leave" on the ground near the presidential palace on December 8.
Egyptian soldiers take position on a road leading to the presidential palace on December 8.
A protester tries to climb over a barbed-wire fence as Egyptian soldiers stand guard during a demonstration near the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday, December 7.
Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy and members of the Muslim Brotherhood shout during the funerals of fellow Morsy supporters at Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo on December 7.
Protesters angry over Morsy's decisions giving himself unchecked powers surround the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo after starting a fire inside the compound on Thursday, December 6.
Riot police form a line as anti-Morsy protesters surge around the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo on December 6.
An anti-Morsy protester shouts during a march to the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on December 6.
Protesters are blocked from approaching the the presidential palace by the Egyptian army on December 6 in Cairo.
Egyptian soldiers stand outside the presidential palace in Cairo after setting up barbed wire barricades on December 6.
Supporters of Morsy clash with anti-Morsy protesters outside the Egyptian presidential palace on Wednesday, December 5, in Cairo.
Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsy supporters destroy tents of anti-Morsy protesters outside the presidential palace on December 5.
Morsy supporters carry an injured man to safety during clashes with anti-Morsy demonstrators on a road leading to the Egyptian presidential palace on December 5.
Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of Morsy clash with anti-Morsy demonstrators on a road leading to the Egyptian presidential palace on December 5.
Egyptian riot police stand behind barbwire as thousands of Egyptian demonstrators march to the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, December 4.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators encircled the presidential palace in Cairo after riot police failed to keep them at bay with tear gas on December 4.
An Egyptian woman waves a national flag as demonstrators march to the presidential palace in Cairo on December 4.
A Morsy supporter waves a flag outside the Supreme Constitutional Court as hundreds of supporters of the president protest on Sunday, December 2, in Cairo, forcing judges to postpone a hearing on a constitutional panel at the heart of a deepening political crisis.
Supporters of Morsy pray outside the Supreme Constitutional Court on December 2.
A man kisses a portrait of Morsy during a gathering of thousands of Islamists in front of Cairo University on Saturday, December 1.
Thousands pray during a rally in support of Morsy in front of Cairo University on December 1.
An Egyptian man delivers a speech as protesters gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday, November 30.
A man shouts as protesters gather in Tahrir Square on November 30.
A man holds a copy of the Quran and a cross in Tahrir Square on November 30.
Protesters run from Egyptian riot police during clashes near Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday, November 28.
A protester carries a rock during clashes with police on Wednesday.
Egyptians carry a giant national flag as tens of thousands take part in a mass rally in Cairo on Tuesday, November 27, against a decree by President Mohamed Morsy granting himself broad powers.
An Egyptian protester holds up a Quran and a figure of Christ on the cross during Tuesday's demonstration.
Protesters continue to rally in Tahrir Square on Tuesday.
An Egyptian protester attempts to throw back a tear gas canister on Tuesday during clashes with riot police in Omar Makram Street, off Tahrir Square.
Activists in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Monday, November 26, carry the coffin of Gaber Salah, an activist who died overnight after he was critically injured in clashes in Cairo. Salah, a member of the April 6 movement known by his nickname "Jika," was injured last week during confrontations between police and protesters on Cairo's Mohammed Mahmud street.
Thousands of activists attend the funeral of Gaber Salah on Monday.
Protesters clash with Egyptian police at Simon Bolivar Square on Sunday, November 25, in Cairo. Egypt's powerful Muslim Brotherhood called nationwide demonstrations in support of Islamist President Mohamed Morsy in his showdown with the judges over the path to a new constitution.
Egyptian protesters hurl stones at police at Tahrir Square on Sunday.
Protesters gather at sit-in tents in Tahrir Square on Sunday.
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy waves to supporters in front of the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday, November 23. Thousands of ecstatic supporters gathered outside the presidential palace to defend their leader against accusations from rival protesters that he has become a dictator.
Morsy supporters gather outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday. Morsy insisted that Egypt was on the path to "freedom and democracy," as protesters held rival rallies over sweeping powers he assumed that further polarized the country's political forces.
Protesters demonstrating against Morsy run from tear gas fired by Egyptian riot police during clashes in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday.
Egyptian protesters throw rocks toward riot police on Friday
Egyptian supporters and opponents of Morsy clash in the coastal city of Alexandria on Friday.
A man throws a rock during clashes in Alexandria on Friday.
Thousands of demonstrators march through the streets of Cairo to protest against Morsy on Friday.
Clashes rocked the coastal city of Alexandria on Friday.
Groups of well organized soccer fans, numbering several thousand, came to prominence during the Battle of the Camels in Tahrir Square. Graffiti eulogizing the ultras covered most of the nearby walls.
Emboldened by their success, groups of ultras would attend and lead many of the post-Mubarak protests in Cairo against the military regime.
The most prominent group was the Ahlawy, the ultras of Al Ahly, Egypt's biggest and most successful club.
The Ahlawy was formed in 2007 as a way of showing better organized support for the team. But it soon became much more.
Such were their numbers that security was tight. Members would be arrested and revolutionary, anti-regime chants could be heard from the stands.
Post Mubarak in 2011, soccer returned to Egypt after a brief suspension of the league. In the security vacuum violence grew. In February this year, 74 fans of Al Ahly, many of them Ahlawy members, died in Port Said after they were attacked by rival fans in the stands.
The ultra groups claim that the deaths weren't the result of thuggery, as claimed by the authorities, but planned by the military as pay-back for their role in the revolution. The trial of over 70 people allegedly involved is ongoing.
Marches were held across Egypt to honor the dead. Here a member of the Ahlawy leads marchers in song in the northern city of Alexandria. The soccer league was canceled. In their aim to achieve justice for the dead, the Ahlawy has launched a successful direct action campaign against the restart of the soccer league until the trial of those accused of the Port Said tragedy is completed.
The lack of competitive soccer is just one of the many problems that has faced Egyptian national team coach Bob Bradley. The former coach of the U.S. men's team has been charged with taking Egypt to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.
His first competitive match was a World Cup qualifier earlier this year. Fears of violence were so high, the match was played without fans in a remote military stadium outside Alexandria.
Despite the revolution and despite the team having played little or no football, Egypt won their first two World Cup qualifying matches.
Even more incredible has been the performance of Al Ahly in the African Champions League. Despite having no league, and having to play all their home games behind closed doors, the team has reached the two -leg final and is hoping for a seventh title overall.
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