The Egyptian Premier League is well known as a competition where coaching changes can happen in the blink of an eye and nobody understands better than departed Zamalek tactician Jesualdo Ferreira. The Portuguese coach was dismissed by the club following Tuesday’s 2-1 road defeat to Ghazl El Mahalla after defending champions Zamalek failed to live up to high expectations this season.
Two goals in the opening twenty minutes from the hosts was too much for The White Castle to recover from with a second half penalty kick from Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” the only response. The announcement of Ferreira’s dismissal came only an hour after the defeat to Mahalla with club president Mortada Mansour appointing Ossama Nabih as a caretaker coach. Following the defeat to Mahalla as well as Saturday’s derby defeat to Al Ahly, Zamalek are now eleven points back of their rivals and five points behind second placed Future FC.
Ahly continued their excellent recent run of results under Marcel Koller with a 1-0 victory over Bank Al Ahly on Tuesday. Mohamed Sherif is finding his form at the right time for the Red Devils with his 31st minute strike giving him his third goal in the last two matches. Ahly will now prepare for the start of their campaign at the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup with a matchup against New Zealand’s Auckland City on February 1.
Highlights from Zamalek’s defeat and Ahly’s victory are below as well as Future FC’s 1-1 draw against Al Masry and a 2-1 road victory for Pyramids FC against Smouha.
Scores
El Dakhleya 1-2 Arab Contractors
Aswan SC 0-0 El Ismaily
Pharco FC 0-1 ENPPI
Al Ittihad 1-0 Haras El Hodood
Ceramica Cleopatra 0-0 El Gaish
Future FC 1-1 Al Masry
Ghazl El Mahalla 2-1 Zamalek
Al Ahly 1-0 Bank Al Ahly
Smouha 1-2 Pyramids FC
Highlights
Ghazl El Mahalla 2-1 Zamalek
Al Ahly 1-0 Bank Al Ahly
Smouha 1-2 Pyramids FC
Future FC 1-1 Al Masry
