Two goals and an assist from red-hot winger Mahmoud Kahraba inspired Zamalek to an exciting 3-1 Egyptian league victory over Maqassa at Cairo's Petrosport Stadium on Sunday.

In a match that witnessed some contentious refereeing decisions, including an illegitimate goal for Maqassa, Kahraba got his name on the score-sheet on 20 and 73 minutes, either side of a lob from striker Bassem Morsi in the 50^th minute.

Maqassa's sole goal was scored by substitute El-Sayed Hamdi two minutes from the hour-mark, with the striker's debatable header sparking insults from the small contingent of fans present – resulting in the referee halting the game for nearly six minutes.

The match also witnessed two red cards, with Zamalek hitman Morsi receiving his marching orders following a squabble with Maqassa keeper Mahmoud Hamdi 15 minutes from the end and the visitors' Ahmed Fawzi being sent off in stoppage time.

The 14-minute injury time announced by the match official was another decision to raise eyebrows, with Zamalek eventually managing to keep with their two-goal lead intact in a tense affair.  

Zamalek remain second on 60 points, five adrift of leaders Ahly who meet Arab Contractors later this week. Maqassa are eighth with 42.

 Kahraba opener

Just few minutes after winning a free kick near the edge of the area early on, courtesy of a Zamalek keeper Mahmoud Gennesh handball, Maqassa had another set-piece struck narrowly wide by the same midfielder - Mohamed Gaber.

Both teams looked to interrupt each other's build-up play from the front, resulting in long balls being played from the back, with the two sides attempting to get around the opponents' pressure.  

With Zamalek struggling to get the ball into Maqassa's final third, the league holders seemed to need some help from their opponents to open the scoring – which indeed happened in the 20^th minute.

After winger Mostafa Fathi did well to pressure his opponent down the right before sending the ball with an acrobatic kick into the area, an awful clearance from Maqassa's Abo-Bakr Abdel-Latif allowed Kahraba to slot into an empty net.

Left-winger Kahraba could have made it two himself minutes later, following a brilliant team move that ended up with him shooting directly into keeper Hamdi's hands.

And just few seconds before the half-time whistle, holding midfielder Tarek Hamed saw a low strike from outside the area parried at full stretch by the keeper, preventing Zamalek from going into the dressing rooms with a two-goal lead.

Thrilling second-half

Just five minutes into the second half, a delightful through ball over the top from Kahraba send Morsi through on goal before the latter lobbed the advancing keeper for his side's second.

A controversial moment then saw the referee adjudge substitute El-Sayed Hamdi's header from point-blank range to have crossed the line, despite TV replays showing Zamalek keeper Gennesh had managed to block in front of his own line.

The goal of the match, however, arrived in the 73^rd minute, when some superb footwork from winger Fathi saw him take on a handful of challengers inside the area before passing for Kahraba, whose neat feint was followed by a strike that found the bottom corner.

Zamalek striker Morsi then engaged in a scuffle with the Maqassa keeper Hamdi, a row that culminated in the referee sending off the forward after initially showing each a yellow card.

Then the ref gave a lengthy 14-minute stoppage-time, which witnessed some several clear-cut chances for both sides.

Shortly after El-Hamdi narrowly missed the target from inside the area, Ahmed Hamoudi - who replaced Kahraba - could have rounded off a brilliant counter-attack with a fine looping effort from distance that was kept away by the keeper.

Maqassa then came close twice through Nana Poku, who was denied by the woodwork, and substitute Amr Barakat, thwarted by Gennesh, just before the keeper blew his final whistle.    

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