PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Ahly jumps to top spot in Egypt's Football Premier League table
Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - Defending champions Ahly jumped to the top of the Egyptian Football Premier League (EFPL) table after the completion of the 25th week of play in the 30-week competition.
Ahly moved two points clear of bitter Cairo rivals, Zamalek, after coming from behind to beat ENPPI 2-1.
Despite being outplayed by the oil company's team for most of the 90 minutes, the Red Devils scored twice in the second half through Mauritania's Dominique and Emad Moteb, to grab the three precious points.
Zamalek, who had led the league for almost the entire season, were held to a goalless draw at home by Al-Geish (Army), to loose their grip on the top spot they held on goal difference the week before.
The White Knights next face relegation threatened Ittihad of Alexandria, who are penalized by local Football authorities for crowd trouble in a match they hosted last week.
Meanwhile, Ahly faces third-placed Ismaily, whose last match also witnessed ugly violent incidents that have been repetitive since the resumption of the league in April, after a three-month halt during the 25 January revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.
Zamalek and Ahly were originally scheduled to meet 29 June but it is not yet clear whether the much-awaited match between Egypt's big two will go ahead on time.
Local football authorities have threatened more than once to cancel this year's competition for fear of hooliganism.
Foreign referees have been brought to most key matches of EFPL of late but that has not stopped crowd trouble or complaints by non-Ahly fans that the red team is always getting the benefit of the doubt on the pitch relying on its huge intimidating arsenal of fans.
-0- PANA MI/BOS 22June2011
Ahly moved two points clear of bitter Cairo rivals, Zamalek, after coming from behind to beat ENPPI 2-1.
Despite being outplayed by the oil company's team for most of the 90 minutes, the Red Devils scored twice in the second half through Mauritania's Dominique and Emad Moteb, to grab the three precious points.
Zamalek, who had led the league for almost the entire season, were held to a goalless draw at home by Al-Geish (Army), to loose their grip on the top spot they held on goal difference the week before.
The White Knights next face relegation threatened Ittihad of Alexandria, who are penalized by local Football authorities for crowd trouble in a match they hosted last week.
Meanwhile, Ahly faces third-placed Ismaily, whose last match also witnessed ugly violent incidents that have been repetitive since the resumption of the league in April, after a three-month halt during the 25 January revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak.
Zamalek and Ahly were originally scheduled to meet 29 June but it is not yet clear whether the much-awaited match between Egypt's big two will go ahead on time.
Local football authorities have threatened more than once to cancel this year's competition for fear of hooliganism.
Foreign referees have been brought to most key matches of EFPL of late but that has not stopped crowd trouble or complaints by non-Ahly fans that the red team is always getting the benefit of the doubt on the pitch relying on its huge intimidating arsenal of fans.
-0- PANA MI/BOS 22June2011
