Ahly coach Fathi Mabrouk has blamed bad luck and rushed decisions by players for Tuesday's league 1-1 draw against Smouha.

"Ahly players were in a hurry to win the game and that affected them negatively. Also, bad luck and missed chances are all behind the draw," Mabrouk said in the press conference after the match.

Ahly's draw allowed Zamalek to claim their first Egyptian Premier League title in 11 years without kicking a ball on the night.

"We dominated the match in the first half, but we surprisingly had many missed chances while Smouha managed to score from the counter attacks in the second half," explained Mabrouk.

"I would like to congratulate their coach Mohamed Youssef for his team's performance," he concluded.

The White Knights have finally ended the hegemony of bitter rivals Ahly, who have won the coveted title eight times in a row since Zamalek's last triumph in 2004. Two seasons were cancelled due to civil unrest in Egypt.

Zamalek have an unassailable five-point lead over Ahly with one match remaining for the new champions.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)