AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY
'Sports is our Business'
  • Home
  • NEWS
  • Radio
  • TV

Much ado about the Cairo derby 

7/22/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
It’s time for one of the continent’s most important derby games. Cairo giants Al Ahly and Zamalek clash in the penultimate round of the Egyptian Premier League on Tuesday, 21 July 2015 at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria this Tuesday at the Alexandria based Burg El Arab stadium.

The game was highlighted by a venue dispute that needed a high level intervention. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) designated the Red Sea resort based El Gouna Stadium for the match; a decision both sides rejected at the beginning.


Whilst EFA stood by the decision, Zamalek complied, only for Ahly to launch an objection to the extent of threatening to boycott the game if the choice of El Gouna was maintained.


It took the intervention of Egyptian Prime Minister, Ibrahim Mehleb for the game to be confirmed for Alexandria, and to be played under flood lights instead of the provisional 16H30 kick off.

 

For security reasons, the Cairo derby is being held outside Egypt and yet again, behind closed doors.

 

The first round tie ended in a 1-1 draw with playmakers Ayman Hefny (Zamalek) and Waleed Suleiman (Ahly) scoring within three minutes of the opening half.

 

Zamalek need just a point to be crowned league champions for the first time since the 2003-2004 season. The White Knights are on 83 points, nine more than their eternal rivals with both sides having three games in hand. A draw will thus see Zamalek grabbing the title for the 12th time in their history, after eight successive triumphs  by their bitterest rivals, who have amassed a record 37 league titles.

 

Ahly interim coach Fathy Mabrouk, has stressed his side is not going to the match to see their rivals celebrating.

 

“We are playing to win, and only to win”, Mabrouk told www.cafonline.com. “We are not going to be a part of their party. Let them celebrate any other day”, he added.

 

After a bad spell with Juan Carlos Garrido that saw Ahly dropping numerous points in their title defence, the Spaniard was axed and Mabrouk; who guided Ahly to last season’s league title despite in a caretaker role like this year, was given the mission once again.

 

His opposite number is Portuguese Jesualdo Ferreira, who wants to add a title abroad to his list of honours he achieved in his homeland.

 

“Yes, we need one point but we are going for the maximum. We have had an amazing season, and to cap it with a derby victory would be just amazing,” Ferreira said.

 

Ferreira is the fourth coach to guide the White Knights this season. They started with the legendary Hossam Hassan; he was axed and replaced by Portuguese Jaime Pacheco who left for a job in Saudi Arabia last January. Former defender, Mohamed Salah took will take up the mantle an interim capacity only for Ferreira to take full charge last February.

 

Zamalek has not tasted victory in the derby since 2007. In general, both sides have met 109 in the league, with Ahly winning 38 times to Zamalek’s 25 and 46 ending in stalemates.

 

In all competitions (including friendly matches), Ahly have won 94 times, Zamalek 53 and 71 of the 218 matches ended in a stalemate.

 

Serbian referee Milorad Mazic will direct affairs from the middle. The Cairo derby will kick off at 20H00 local time (18H00 GMT).

By: Cafonline.com
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Menu

    All
    2014 FIFA World Cup
    Athletics
    Basketball
    Boxing
    Commonwealth Games
    Cricket
    Golf
    Hockey
    Marathons
    News
    Olympics
    Rugby
    Soccer
    Spotlight
    Tennis
    Track And Field
    Volleyball
    Women Soccer
    Wrestling


    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Tweets by ASMONTHLY

Tweet to @ASMONTHLY

Contact Us

    Contact Us

Submit

Donate & Support Our Efforts at African Sports Media Network