1 - 7 November 2001
Issue No.558
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 1 - 7 November 2001 Issue No.558 |
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Of varying fortunes
Ismaili and Zamalek stayed ahead of the rest while Ahli was tripped up in Port Said. Abeer Anwar reports on the fields of battle
A goal deep into injury time allowed Misri to tie Ahli, the third time this season the Port Said side has snatched a draw in the dying seconds.
The tie also kept the team level on points with seven each, although Ahli has two games in hand.
On its home ground on Friday night, Misri apparently attempted to avoid its heart-stopping last-minute heroics by going for a victory from the opening whistle. The only obstacle in its way was goalkeeper Essam El-Hadari whose high- flying acrobatics were comparable to the elasticity of some of the best net minders in Europe. Twice El-Hadari sprang high into action, his body almost parallel to the bar, to thwart Misri shots destined for the corners.
Early in the second half, Ahli's Cherno, a new acquisition this year from Suez, put his team ahead following a close-range shot whose origin can be traced to a deft pass by midfielder Walid Salaheddin which broke a massed Misri defense.
Ahli could have made it 2-0 after referee Reda El-Beltagi judged Reda Shehata to have been tackled inside the penalty area, though replays showed Shehata was fouled a good two metres outside the zone. Ibrahim Said, who normally shoots low, on the right side of the goal, flubbed the ensuing spot kick by sending it to the heavens -- where Misri supporters believed justice was served and their prayers appropriately answered following the misjudged penalty call.
The match seemed to be headed for a vital away win for Ahli until Misri manufactured what has become its routine Houdini escape act. As it did against the Arab Contractors and Ittihad of Alexandria, Misri levelled with a last-gasp effort, a penalty, this one correctly whistled for, in the fourth minute of stoppage play. Unlike Said's errant shot, Misri made no mistake, Mazhar Abdel- Hamid driving it home for an unlikely ending. But in fixtures where Misri is involved such conclusions have become the norm.
"We were better all through the match and we deserved to win," Misri coach Mahmoud Abu Regela said, relieved nonetheless by the salvaging of a point. The failure to hold on to the lead was painful for Ahli's Portuguese coach Manuel Jose who held his players responsible. "They are to blame because of their over confidence in the second half." Jose may have also slightly backtracked from earlier statements on recapturing the league crown which Ahli lost last year. "I am not looking for the title. What I am after is forming a good football team no matter what the results are," Jose said following the match.
Ismaili stayed ahead in the table with 16 points and a clean sheet after trouncing Sohag 5-0. Abdel-Hamid Bassiouni, who warmed up the Zamalek substitutes bench for two years, is now on fire in Ismaili, scoring a hat trick against Sohag. Mohamed Abu Greisha added another two to finish off Sohag who last week proved its resilience when it came back from two goals down to tie defending champions Zamalek.
Bassiouni, the league's top scorer three years ago who now has found the net six times this season, repeatedly kissed his jersey after every goal against Sohag, an affectionate gesture of thanks to the team that rescued him from what looked like a permanent role as second fiddle.
Ismaili's Mohamed Sobhi, selected by sports writers and critics Egypt's best goalkeeper last year, has lived up to the billing, not allowing a single goal this season.
Sohag's coach Gamal Abdel-Hamid attributed the goal barrage to his absence from last week's practice sessions after he was injured trying to open a stadium door. "After the team drew with Zamalek, the players became too confident and made a number of defensive mistakes," Abdel- Hamid said.
Ismaili's win kept Zamalek at bay, though it beat the Arab Contractors 3-1 on Saturday. It was the third consecutive time Zamalek had beaten the Contractors by the same score, the first game dating back to last season.
The match in Cairo came to life in the 36th minute when Contractor defender Mohamed Ouda misguided a header for an own goal. A cross from the right flew past Zamalek striker Ahmed Felix but found Ouda's head who inadvertently directed it straight to goal. Zamalek could have stretched its lead at the half but two shots banged off the left goalpost.
Hossam Hassan notched his league-leading seventh goal in the 66th minute with a curling direct free kick that gave Ahmed Saber no chance.
Seven minutes later, Ahmed Fikri, who scored twice against Zamalek last year, picked up where he left off. He brought one back for the Contractors after slamming the ball home while unattended near the goalmouth. But Zamalek's Mohamed Abul-Ela squashed any hopes of a Contractor revival when his shot deflected off the post and trickled in.
Coach Otto Pfister had little praise for Zamalek, saying the hesitancy showed by some players was born out of fear they would draw again, the surprise tie against Sohag apparently still haunting them.
Rounding up week number six, Mansoura lost to Ghazl El-Mehalla 1-0, Baladiat El-Mehalla beat Qanah 2-1 and Maadin defeated Ghazl El- Suez 2-1
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