Wednesday saw a couple of clashes with major title implications in the Egyptian Premier League and it was Al Ahly who came out the big winners by getting the job done in their matchup. Ahly edged out Alexandria club Al Ittihad by a 1-0 score courtesy of an excellent curled strike by Mozambican winger Luis Miquissone in the 35th minute, helping the hosts overcome an earlier missed penalty kick opportunity for Percy Tau. Despite rotating some players into the lineup due to injuries and fixture congestion, Ahly earned three important points.
The headline match on Wednesday featured the second and third placed teams and Zamalek bounced back from the conclusion of a poor CAF Champions League campaign to knock off Pyramids 3-2 on the road, moving The White Castle past their opponents into second. Zamalek jumped out in front in the 4th minute when striker Omar El Said did well to create space on the left flank, where his cross was deflected right into the path of Achraf Bencharki for a simple finish past Pyramids keeper Sherif Ekramy.
Pyramids fought back to take the lead in a match that went back and forth. Center back Ali Gabr towered above the Zamalek defense to head in an Abdallah Said corner kick to level affairs in the 11th minute and South African striker Fagrie Lakay provided a poacher’s finish in the 37th minute following a setup by Ibrahim Adel. El Said equalized for Zamalek just before halftime by volleying in a cross from Emam Ashour.
Bencharki provided the assist for the match winner in the 53rd minute by showing some of the ability that made him a star last season. The Moroccan drove in from the left wing and laid off a pass for Ashour, who smashed a line drive finish past Ekramy to give Zamalek a lead they would hold onto.
Ahly now lead by three points with one less match played than rivals Zamalek, who jumped past Pyramids and are in second place by two points over Wednesday’s opponents. Highlights from both games are below.
Pyramids FC 2-3 Zamalek
Al Ahly 1-0 Al IttihadÂ
