Al Ahly's latest acquisition, Peter Ebimobowei, could be unleashed on Thursday night as the fierce Cairo derby against Zamalek takes centre stage.
Also called The Egyptian derby, Thursday's clash will no doubt be the biggest fixture in global football and not even the Afcon in Equatorial Guinea will diminish its status.
The derby has since evolved into one of the biggest footballing fixtures in the world and back in 2008 was rated the eighth fiercest derby in the world by World Soccer Magazine.
Matches are considered the highlight of the football season with live broadcast to most of the Middle Eastern and North African countries since the seventies.
There has been excitement among Ahly fans since the Nigerian joined "The Red Devils."
Interestingly, some of the fans have tipped him to excel like the legendary Angola star Flavio Amado, who left as a club legend.
The forward enters the record books as the first Nigerian to join Ahly in a decade.
"I'm here as a professional and I want to score goals for Ahly," he said to supersport.com.
Zamalek may be on top of the log, but Ahly own the bragging rights after their Super Cup victory on the eve of the season in September 2014.
Nigerians and the Derby
If fielded on derby day, Ebimobowei will be the fourth Nigerian to feature for Ahly after Sunday Ibeji, Robert Akaruye and Henry Makinwa.
Add Nigerian international Emmanuel Amuneke, who left Zamalek as a legend, then Ebimobowei becomes the fifth Nigerian to play in the derby.
"The derby is massive and I've known more about it since my arrival," he told supersport.com.
Ebimobowei has missed matches against Petrojet as well as Talae El-Geish and fans of Ahly are banking on their Nigerian import to make his long-awaited debut in the derby with goals.
Derby Talisman
Thursday could be Ebimobowei's baptism in the Cairo derby, but he is no stranger to derbies in Nigeria where he spent his entire career with Bayelsa United.
Although the club fluctuated in the elite class as well as lower division, there was still room for contest in the Bayelsa Derby with Ocean Boys and later Nembe City.
During the 2012/13 season, he became the first Bayelsa United player to score five goals against Nembe City in two matches in the league and one in the Cup.
And last season (2013/14), the striker scored a brace against their bitter neighbours.
Expectations from Ahly fans
Ahly fans have backed the former Bayelsa United forward, who was nominated in the 2014 League Bloggers Awards (LBA) Player of the Season category, to score against Zamalek.
According to supersport.com findings, over 2 800 Ahly fans have followed his Official Twitter Account; @Peter Ebimobowei, since the announcement of his transfer from Bayelsa United to the perennial African champions.
In fact, some of the fans have charged their Nigerian striker to score on his debut.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Thursday's match will be played behind closed doors at Cairo's army stadium due to security concerns and will be handled by 43-year old French referee Tony Chapron.
Zamalek are on top of the league table with 40 points, eight clear of third-placed Ahly who have a game in hand.
The Cairo Derby has displayed the good, the bad and the ugly sides of both the clubs and their passionate followers, who have turned this rivalry into one of the fiercest ever in the history of football.
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