Oil boom

Despite the drop in global oil prices, the petroleum clubs dominated this week's Egyptian domestic league, reports Ahmed Morsy

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After the 11th week, Petrojet and Enppi, the two oil clubs, occupy first and second place in the league table. Petrojet are first with 24 points while Enppi have 20. Defending champions Ahli lie fifth on 16 points but have four matches in hand.

Petrojet won a hard-fought 3-2 away match against Ittihad on Saturday. Forward Alaa Ibrahim opened the scoring in the 11th minute when he latched on to Mahmoud Abdel-Hakim's deft through to slot past El-Hani Suleiman in the right corner of the net.

Fifteen minutes later, Petrojet's current top scorer Ibrahim doubled the lead when he volleyed home Osama Mohamed's left-flank cross. But Youssef Abdel-Rahim pulled one back by converting a penalty kick just before the break.

Defender Rami Said scored the third for his side from a penalty kick in the 58th minute, refusing to celebrate his goal out of respect for Ittihad, the club he left in the close of last season for Petrojet.

Ittihad striker Abdel-Hamid Hassan narrowed the gap 11 minutes later. After the loss, the Alexandria-based Ittihad remained seventh with 14 points.

On the same day, a late header by Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan earned Egyptian champions Ahli a close 3-2 victory over 10-man Egypt Telecom in a breathtaking encounter.

Mohamed Abou Treika fired Ahli ahead early in the game but Wael Riad scored against his former club to equalise just before the break.

Riad struck home again midway through the second period to give Telecom a stunning lead that came shortly after former Zamalek defender Wael El-Qabani was sent off. However, Egyptian international Abou Treika scored his second goal eight minutes later to level the score.

Veteran midfielder Hassan notched his first league goal with Ahli in stoppage time to hand Ahli a thrilling win. The Cairo giants, who are aiming to win a fifth consecutive league title, moved into fifth place in the league with 16 points. They would move to the top if they win their four rescheduled games. Telecom remained sixth on 15.

Elsewhere, Enppi drubbed Al-Gaish 4-1, who are 12th with 12 points, to stay close to Petrojet.

Ismaili failed to win for the second match running after being held to a 1-1 draw by Spinning Mehalla.

Ismaili lie in fourth place with 17 points while Spinning Mehalla are in 10th spot with 12 points.

On Friday, Zamalek failed to get back on track after being held to a goalless draw by the Arab Contractors. The Whites were desperately in need of a win after an embarrassing 3-1 home defeat to Olympic a week earlier.

The tie gave Zamalek 17 points from nine games, putting them in third place.

The Contractors' one more point game gave them 12 points for 11th place.

Zamalek's playmaker Mahmoud Abdel-Razek, known more popularly as Shikabala, made his long-awaited comeback after serving a lengthy six-month suspension by FIFA, but his impact was not radical.

One day before the game, Zamalek chairman Mamdouh Abbas handed in his resignation, replaced by Mohamed Amer who was named interim chairman until the Egyptian National Sports Council (NSC) decides on the Whites' future.

Reports suggested Amer would remain president until mid- November, after which a temporary committee will take over.

NSC executive Medhat El-Beltagi was quoted in the press as saying Amer will be relieved of his duties once the temporary committee is elected.

Ahmed Refaat and Ahmed Ramzi were reinstated as football manager and assistant coach.

Abbas had a two-year spell with Zamalek, during which the Cairo giants won just one title, the Egyptian cup in 2007.

Zamalek coach Reiner Hollman turned down board member Hazem Emam's request to pardon five players who were deemed surplus to the club's requirements. Tunisian defender Wissam El-Abdi and Brazilian full-back Ricardo Alves have been placed on the transfer list. Gamal Hamza and Mohamed Aboul-Ella, who have formed the backbone of Zamalek's squad for many years, were forced to train separately from their teammates, as was left-back Osama Hassan.

Emam sought to have all Zamalek's players available for tomorrow's league clash with leaders Petrojet but Hollman refused, preferring instead to promote several youngsters to the first team.

In other matches, struggling side Tersana thrashed 10-men Olympic 4-0 to give their new coach Mohamed Omar a winning start. Tersana now are in 15th with 10 points while Olympic lie 14th on 11.

One oil club not doing so well are Petroleum Assiout who fell to the bottom of the table after slumping to a 2-0 defeat to Police Union, who chalked up their second successive win following their stunning victory over Ismaili a week earlier. Police are in 13th place with 11 points.

Misri halted Haras Al-Hedoud's winning run after holding them to a 1-1 draw in Alexandria. Al-Hedoud, who had won their three previous matches, remain seventh in the 16-team table with 14 points. Misri are ninth with 12 points.