Uncertain future
Eighteen weeks on, the leadership of the Egyptian premier league is on tenterhooks. Eric Asmougha explains
Zamalek are giving arch-rival and front-runners Ahli a hot chase for the title. Ahli are six points ahead of second place Zamalek in the ongoing Vodafone premiership football league, but the lead is likely to be narrowed down to three as Zamalek look forward to beating struggling Ittihad of Alexandria in a rescheduled week 15 match.Over the weekend, Ahli managed to beat their host Goldi 2-0, thanks to well-taken goals from Adel Mustafa and Ahmed Salah Hosni -- making his Ahli debut after a spell with Stuttgart in Germany -- in each half of the game. Ahli were entirely in control with good game work but were occasionally shaken by their opponent. Goldi, which lost a penalty, did little to show their determination to survive this season.
Zamalek defeated visiting Baladia 2-0 at Cairo Stadium after an impressive performance in which Gamal Hamza, who scored the second goal in the 18th minute, proved himself as a valuable product. Mohamed Abul-Ela scored earlier in the 15th minute.
Misri's 1-0 home defeat of league debutantes ENPPI moved them to fourth position, two places up from week 17. Coming matches will determine if the Port Said outfit have recovered from slumber following a dismal performance in the first round.
Ismaili, which defeated the Coast Guards 2-0, maintained the third place since ENPPI lost the spot in week 11.
Without doubt, coach Anwar Salama of Tersana must be one of the most disappointed men following his club's 2-2 home draw with Aswan, a club sure of relegation at the end of the season. Tersana is eighth on the table, down one step from week 17.
Despite the new Nigerian sign-on to support ex-Ahli player Robert Akory, the Arab Contractors have yet to make any great impact this season. The team's incoherent performance led to the departure of coach Abdel-Aziz "Zizo" Abdel- Shafei after a humiliating 6-2 defeat at the hands of Ahli early in the season. The away goalless draw with a struggling Ittihad squad in week 18 is another cause of worry for the administrators.
Mehalla managed to escape with a 1-0 victory over visiting Mansoura to occupy the seventh place, one step up from week 17.
Week 19 fixtures: Mansoura / Ismaili; ENPPI / Zamalek; Coast Guards / Misri; Baladia / Tersana; Aswan / Ittihad; Ahli / Mehalla; Arab Contractors / Goldi.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 6 - 12 March 2003 (Issue No. 628)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/628/sp1.htm