Egypt's football D-day
Thursday 28 August 2003 is another D-day set to enter Egyptian soccer history, as arch rivals Zamalek and Ahli clash for the Egypt Super Cup. Eric Asomugha reports
League Champions Zamalek and FA Cup champions Ahli are set for another long- awaited battle at Egypt's own superbowl at Cairo National Stadium, to fight for the notch as the number one team in the 2002/ 2003 season.
Fans of both teams are raging, calling for a complete trashing of the other with as many goals as possible. Across the city, the match is being made a priority. Ali Hassan is leaving work early to ensure himself entrance to the stadium to show support for Ahli, while Ashraf Ahmed and his friend are driving down to Cairo from Ismailia to cheer Zamalek to victory.
Confrontation between both teams has always been a battle of the titans, and the Thursday showdown is expected to inflame the already volatile pre-match tension, proving a tough job for the international officials flown in specifically for this game.
Both teams will be marching into the stadium to prove a point to their soccer- crazed fans -- who are waiting for this media-coined "moment of truth". It will be a chance, as well, to reclaim themselves in front of fans. League Champions Zamalek unexpectedly lost to relegated Goldi in the quarterfinals of the Egypt FA Cup. To add to their woe, Simba of Tanzania stopped them from proceeding further in the $3.5 million CAF Champions League. Ahli, on the other hand, had it rough following a shocking 1-0 loss to ENPPI on the final day of the league season, thereby losing the title. Dutch coach Bonfrere Jo was immediately sacked, and the technical and administration crew restructured.
Following their loses, both teams sought the service of new foreign coaches. Zamalek went shopping in Portugal for Eduardo Vingada while Ahli settled for another Portuguese coach, Antonio Oliveira.
According to the history books, Ahli has won 29 league titles and 32 FA Cups, while Zamalek has 10 league titles and 20 FA Cups under its belt. The teams have met on pitch 108 times in both league and FA Cup matches. Ahli won 38 matches, and Zamalek 28; 42 matches ended in a draw.
In the league, Ahli still has an edge with 30 wins in comparison to Zamalek's 22. Only 39 games ended in a draw. In the FA Cup, Ahli maintains the lead with eight wins in comparison to Zamalek's six, while three games ended in a draw. On record, Zamalek's 6-0 defeat of Ahli in the 1943 Egypt FA Cup is the teams biggest win ever. Ahli nearly equaled the record in the second round of 2002 league season, but Zamalek managed to score one goal ending the game 6-1.
With the increasing animosity between both teams, the Thursday duel is certainly not going to be anyone's sure guess until the final whistle at the end of the 90- minute clash.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 28 August - 3 September 2003 (Issue No. 653)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/653/sp1.htm