Al Ahly scored once in each half to beat hosts Zamalek 2–0 in the 133rd Cairo derby in the Egyptian Premier League on Sunday evening.
Captain Mohamed Hany put Al Ahly ahead in the 39th minute with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area. The ball changed direction after hitting a defender before finding the back of the net past Zamalek goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhi.
اضافة اعلان
Algerian substitute Monsef Bakrar added the second goal with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area into the right corner of Sobhi’s goal.
Al Ahly moved to the top of the league standings with 16 points, one ahead of Pyramids FC, who host Ceramica Cleopatra on Monday. Zamalek remain third with 13 points.
Al Ahly had a dangerous opportunity in the ninth minute when Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” broke down the right flank and delivered a powerful cross, which Sofiane Benjdida met with a first-time shot that went over the crossbar.
Zamalek applied pressure in the closing minutes of the first half,but Al Ahly goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir dealt successfully with the high balls.
Shobeir denied Zamalek a dangerous chance in the 57th minute, using one hand to save a header from Ahmed Sherif and preserve Al Ahly’s lead.
Hossam Ashraf came close to equalizing with a powerful header in the 79th minute, but the ball sailed over the crossbar as Al Ahly dropped back to defend its advantage.
A minute later, Zamalek players appealed for a penalty after Angolan forward Chico Banza went down inside the box following a challenge with Moroccan defender Achraf Dari.
Immediately afterward, substitute Bakrar fired a low, driven shot from outside the penalty area to extend Al Ahly’s lead to 2–0.
Earlier on Sunday, El Qanah and Al Masry of Port Said opened the sixth round with a 1–1 draw.
Hazem Abu Sunna put the hosts ahead in the 22nd minute, following up a shot by his Ghanaian teammate Mawuli Wayo that had been saved by Al Masry goalkeeper Mahmoud Hamdy before slotting the rebound into the net.
Salah Mohsen equalized for Al Masry in the 74th minute from the penalty spot.
El Qanah moved to seven points in ninth place, ahead of Al Masry on goal difference, with the Port Said club sitting 12th.
