Ahli's first Super Cup
Ahli denied Zamalek a third Egypt Super Cup victory on the eve of the new Egyptian premier league season last Thursday. Eric Asomugha reports
Ahli was crowned the number one team in the 2002/ 2003 season last Thursday following a 3-1 penalty win over Zamalek in the Egyptian Super Cup at the military stadium.
Ninety minutes of action failed to produce a winner before a half-packed stadium with cheering fans. Substitute Sameh Youssef scored Zamalek's only spot- kick while veterans Tarek Sayed and Hossam Hassan kicks were stopped by goalkeeper Essam Hadry. Mohamed Sadek's kick went into the side bar.
For Ahly, Yasser Radwan and Wael Riad converted theirs easily before Gilberto Sebastiao's kick sealed the victory, instigating a rapturous celebration for the reds nationwide.
It was the first Super Cup to be decided on penalties and the first victory for Ahly in the three- year-old competition. Zamalek has won two previous editions.
Spot kicks are becoming a norm for both teams in crucial matches. Zamalek lost on penalties to relegated Goldi in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup and also to Simba of Tanzania in the CAF champions league before beating Ittihad of Saudi Arabia in the Egypt Saudi Super Cup.
On the other hand, Ahli recently lost to Real Sociedad of Spain on penalties in a friendly international match but luckily beat Ismaili in the final of Egypt FA Cup before Zamalek fell prey to them in the Super Cup.
Even though the Super Cup encounter did not produce the best of the two teams, both teams had few chances wasted in front of the goal.
Ahli's Ibrahim Said had two chances -- one of which was a header that went off target. Another close opportunity for Ahli was an unexpected cross from Khalid Bebo from the right flank which Mohamed Fadl banged on the cross bar.
Zamalek had its chances as well, with Tarek Sayed and Hazem Emam trying to find space from all positions to upset their opponents. Substitute Sameh Youssef was unlucky when he brilliantly overpowered a defender only for his shot lob narrowly sailing to the side bar.
Meanwhile, the premier league 2003/2004 season kicked off last Friday after an off-the-pitch battle between the Egyptian Football Association and Tanta, a division two club. Tanta dragged the FA to court challenging its new relegation system which allows one team from the south of Egypt a place in the premier league each season.
The new system deprived Tanta, the third place team in the second division, from being promoted in the ranks. Instead, Aswan -- a southern team which finished bottom last season -- remained in the premiership for defeating another southern club, Sohag, in a play-off in accordance with the new FA system.
Tanta refused the dictated reality, and dragged the FA to court demanding to be promoted -- a case they won. Just a few days to the commencement of the new season, a new verdict was handed out by a higher court granting Aswan the right to play in premier league and denied Tanta any promotion.
The verdict was a great relief to football administrators who shared the view that a contrary decision would have plunged both FA and the football circle into a big crisis.
The league matches went ahead as scheduled at various centres with the following week one results: Mansoura 0:1 Sawahel, Tersana 1:2 Ittihad, Koroum 0:1 Masry, Aswan 0:2 ENPPI, Baladia 1:0 Quanah, Zamalek, Mahala 5:0, Ismaily : Ahly 2:1.
Week two fixtures: Quanah / Zamalek, Sawahel / Tersana , Ittihad / Koroum, Masry /Aswan, ENPPI / Ismaily, Ahly / Baladia
