Zamalek gave Mido a winning start in his second stint as their coach after ending the unbeaten record of surprise package Dakhleya with a 2-0 Egyptian Premier League win on Tuesday.

Mido jumped and pumped the air with his fist on the touchline as Ayman Hefni opened the scoring on 13 minutes with a powerful low shot and substitute Mohamed Salem ensured the win two minutes from time.

Although Zamalek are still far from the kind of flawless football that propelled them to the domestic double last season, they looked determined to bag all three points after two successive draws with Petrojet and Maqassa under predecessor Marcos Paqueta.

The Brazilian boss was abruptly dismissed less than a month after he took over following Zamalek's 2-2 draw with Maqassa and Mido, who led the White Knights to the Egypt Cup title in 2014, was brought in as a replacement to become their third manager this season after they started under Portuguese Jesualdo Ferreira. 

The former nomadic striker, who played for a host of European clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax Amsterdam before hanging up his boots at the age of 30 in 2013, is assisted by Zamalek icon Hazem Emam.

The victory lifted Zamalek to fourth in the league table with 21 points from 10 games, two behind leaders Maqassa who played two matches more. Dakhleya, who made a brilliant start to the season, remain second with 23 points from 12 games.

Shikabala is back  

Winger Mahmoud Shikabala, a product of Zamalek's youth academy and a fan favourite despite his numerous off-field problems, was included in the starting line-up in his first game after cutting short a loan spell with Ismaily, playing on the right wing and continually swapping positions with left winger Mahmoud Kahraba.

Attacking-minded central midfielder Ibrahim Abdel-Khalek, a summer arrival, also made a rare start as Mido made a couple of changes to Zamalek's regular line-up.

Zamalek were under pressure in the first 10 minutes but Dakhleya failed to muster any efforts, with their opponents then taking control to grab the lead on 13 minutes.

Lone striker Bassem Morsi, Zamalek's top scorer last season who is yet to open his account this term, laid off the ball to Hefni, whose left-foot low shot from 25 metres beat the keeper at his near post.

The hosts wasted a couple of clear-cut chances to restore their lead before the break, with Abdel-Khalek sending a free header just wide and Kahraba flicking the ball past his challenger from eight yeards out but his subsequent weak shot was easily thwarted by the keeper.

Chances were few and far between in a dull second half but, in a period of sustained Dakhleya pressure, Amer Sabri should have done better when his mis-hit bicycle kick went wide after he was picked out by a right wing cross.

Salem made the points safe two minutes from time when he intercepted a weak header by Farouk intended for the keeper to send a delicate first-timer past the advancing shot-stopper.

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