On hold
Because of several club and national team commitments, the football league has been suspended for 75 days. Eric Asomugha reports
The decision means that the league, which is in its 10th week, will not finish before mid-July next year.
The schedule is jammed with the African Nations Cup next month in Tunisia, the World Youth Cup under way in the UAE and the military World Cup in progress in Italy.
The Olympic team is also busy preparing for Athens qualifications. Ismaili, Zamalek and Ahli are in the Arab Champions League while Ismaili play tomorrow in the second leg of the African Champions League final.
Before the suspension, oil-rich ENPPI had halted Zamalek's winning streak. For the first time in the season, league leaders Zamalek were forced to a draw at home by visiting ENPPI. Losing two valuable points at the end of 90 minutes, Zamalek -- which had few open chances including a lost penalty -- were squarely confronted by ENPPI.
Despite the hard-fought 1-1 draw with ENPPI, Zamalek remain unmoved at the top of the league table with 28 points from 10 matches, one draw, nine wins and no defeat.
The visitors showed the determination of a team ready to salvage the 1-0 home loss to Mehalla in week nine. Putting forth every necessary effort to frustrate Zamalek, ENPPI almost made it beyond the draw in the dying minutes of the match.
Zamalek scored in the 37th minute through Tarek El-Sayed's powerful header. ENPPI's pressure for an equaliser yielded fruit midway in the second half when Osama Hassan fired an unexpected shot about 32 metres, beating the goalkeeper who miscalculated.
Both teams had their chances of taking the lead. Gamal Hamza and Tarek missed few opportunities, with opposing culprits being Sayed Abdel-Naim, Mohamed Sabet Saroukh and Abdel-Hamid Hassan.
Zamalek left the match disappointed at their cracked winning streak. The team still banks on its position as league leader to propel it through the coming weeks.
In a rescheduled league match, Zamalek escaped unhurt in Ismailia as their host pressurised from all angles but remained unable to find the net. A string of weak and poor passes by Zamalek gave the more offensive Ismaili team the lee way to coordinate and launch spontaneous attacks.
The crossbar denied Ismaili twice, one from the spot kick, as Malian Dramane Traore and Abu Greisha were simply unlucky in front of goal. Zamalek managed to score in 20th minute by Abdel-Halim Ali whose shot was assisted by an Ismaili player. Zamalek walked off the pitch victorious with 1-0.
In Mansoura, Ahli recorded a much-needed 1-0 away win and their fourth since the league began. The visitors, still suffering the confines of a cycle of poor performances -- which led to the sacking of their coach -- scored in the 42nd minute of the first half through Mohamed Fadl.
Mansoura -- which wanted to take advantage of Ahli's present state -- dictated the better part of the game, especially in the second half. Ahli, however, managed to contain the pressure. Essam El-Hadari made some spectacular saves while Ahmed Bilal failed to extend Ahli's lead at the other end.
After Zamalek in their yet unwavering first-place spot, Ittihad are second with 20 points despite losing 2-0 to city rivals Sawahel, or the Border Guards. ENPPI with 19 points is fourth behind Sawahel on goals difference. The defeat of ENPPI in week nine, and 1-0 win of Misri pushed Mehalla up to the fifth place with 17 points.
Ismaili, which boast three outstanding matches, are sixth with 14 points. A 1-0 win in Mansoura lifted Ahli to seventh place with 13 points and a two-goal difference ahead of Misri.
Behind Misri of Port Said are: Tersana with 12 points, Aswan with nine points, Mansoura six points and Qanah six points. The two bottom teams are Baladia with five points and Koroum with two points.
