Ahram Online breaks down the five key talking points from the round.
Zamalek storm to the summit
After a disappointing previous season, Zamalek secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Pharco FC at Al-Salam Stadium on Tuesday, propelling them to the top of the league standings.
The match's solitary goal came from Congolese forward Chico Banza in the 48th minute, maintaining his impressive scoring record this season and bringing his goal tally to two.
With this win, Zamalek now sit comfortably at the summit with 10 points from four matches, two points ahead of second-placed Masry.
They have recorded three victories against Ceramica Cleopatra, Modern Sport, and Pharco, and one goalless draw against Arab Contractors, while conceding just one goal.
Pyramids FC see red again
Last season’s runners-up, Pyramids FC, faced yet more disciplinary issues this round, receiving a red card once again. This marks their fourth dismissal in four matches, including Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic.
Moroccan defender Mohamed Chibi received his marching orders in the 84th minute of the 2-1 defeat to Modern Sport on Monday following a second yellow card.
He joined his countryman, midfielder Walid Elkarti, who was sent off against newly promoted side Wadi Degla in their league opener.
In their narrow 1-0 victory over Ismaily, Pyramids FC saw two red cards. The first was handed to Jurcic in the 84th minute for not remaining on the bench, while the second red was handed to Burkinabe midfielder Blati Touré two minutes later.
Although the draw against Masry saw no red cards, Pyramids players were booked five times.
Ghazl El-Mahalla's unprecedented run
Newly-promoted Ghazl El-Mahalla are making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The team has achieved an unusual and unwanted feat by recording four consecutive goalless draws.
While their defense has been rock-solid, having yet to concede a single goal this season, their attacking output is non-existent.
The failure to score even once in four games is a worrying sign for their fans, with their match against defending champions Ahly was a prime example of their defensive resolve but also their inability to threaten the opposition's goal.
Goal drought reaches alarming levels
The fourth matchday saw the continuation of a trend of low-scoring matches across the league. Only 14 goals were scored across 10 games, an average of 1.4 down from 1.6 in the previous round.
This highlights an alarming slump, marking the lowest tally in a single round since the beginning of the league.
Three of the ten fixtures finished in goalless draws, with ENPPI-Gouna and Ittihad-NBE Club following Ghazl’s lead in serving up stalemates.
Three matches ended in the highest scoring of 2-1 victories: ZED FC-Wadi Degla, Pyramids FC-Modern Sport, and Ismaili-Smouha, highlighting the lack of attacking sharpness across the league.
Defending champions' sluggish start continues
Reigning champions Ahly are off to a slow start, with a 0-0 draw against Ghazl El-Mahalla on Monday marking their second draw in three games, leaving them with just five points.
Ahly have been a shadow of the team that dominated last season, since their attacking players have been unable to find the back of the net consistently, despite the squad being bolstered with highly-talented players.
While they have scored six goals and conceded three in three games, dropping them to fifth place in the league standings, their failure to defeat a defensively-minded Ghazl El-Mahalla side will be a major cause for concern.
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