Photo:Ahly official facebook page
But beyond the marquee results, the weekend also served up a worrying number of dull stalemates that continue to drag the spectacle of the competition down.
Ahram Online breaks down five key talking points from the round:
Ahly triumph in derby as Ferrera faces mounting pressure
Defending champions Ahly came from behind to beat rivals Zamalek 2-1 in the Cairo Derby. A super sub Hussein El-Shahat struck from the bench and Trezeguet converted a penalty after Hossam Abdel Maguid had given the Whites the lead from the spot.
The victory was a show of resilience from Ahly, who adjusted well tactically after the break, moving them up to third place with 15 points and a game in hand. For Zamalek, however, the defeat was another reminder of their lack of creativity and defensive frailty in big games. Even though they remain top of the table on 17 points, their leadership feels paper-thin, built more on rivals’ inconsistency than their own authority.
Zamalek Coach Yannick Ferrera is under growing pressure, with calls for his dismissal echoing louder after the derby setback.
Pyramids matches season’s biggest win
Pyramids FC blew away Talae El-Geish 4-0 in their most ruthless display yet. They equal the 4-0 win recorded by Masry against Kahraba Ismailia in the fifth matchday. Moroccan full-back Mohamed Chibi scored twice before the break, while Ewerton and Mahmoud Zalaka added to the tally in the second half.
It was not just the margin of victory but the manner: sharp counter-attacks, fluid movement, and a clean sheet to match. With two games in hand and only three points off the top, Pyramids look increasingly like the side best equipped to break the Cairo duopoly.
Once known only as big spenders prone to inconsistency, the African Champions have finally evolved into a serious contender, dominating on the local and continental levels and now making their presence felt on the international stage.
Masry shine in attack but crumble at the back
Masry’s 3-2 home defeat to Petrojet again exposed their contradictions. Salah Mohsen and Omar El-Saaiy scored in a frenetic second half, but defensive lapses allowed Petrojet to steal the points with goals in the 75th and 88th minutes.
The irony is striking: Masry boast the league’s top three scorers; Mohsen (5), El-Saaiy (4), and Abderrahim Deghmoum (4), and have scored more than anyone else in the division (17). Yet they also leak goals with alarming regularity, conceding 11 in just nine games. Unless this imbalance is corrected, Masry’s status as the league’s most entertaining side will count for little in the title race.
Stalemates frustrate fans as spectacle suffers
Beyond the derby and Pyramids’ explosion, the round was littered with uninspiring draws. Modern SC needed a 98th-minute equalizer to hold Pharco 1-1, Wadi Degla and Smouha cancelled each other out 1-1, while Gouna-Ceramica Cleopatra finished level. Ghazl El-Mahalla’s latest 0-0 with ENPPI was their seventh draw of the campaign, six of which have ended goalless.
The pattern is becoming tiresome: too many matches locked in midfield battles, producing 1-1 or 0-0 outcomes that leave little room for attacking flair. Yes, the league is competitive, but it is increasingly competitive in a way that frustrates, with parity achieved through blunt finishing and defensive caution rather than quality.
Arab Contractors sack Mekki as coaching casualties mount
Arab Contractors announced the dismissal of coach Mohamed Mekki after the club’s ninth match without a win, a 1-0 defeat at home to Kahraba Ismailia. The loss left Arab Contractors rooted in the relegation zone, still searching for their first victory of the season.
Mekki becomes the fourth managerial casualty of the campaign, following José Riveiro at Ahly, Tarek Mostafa at NBE Club, and Ahmed Sami at Ittihad of Alexandria. The early flurry of dismissals highlights both the unforgiving nature of the league and the increasing impatience of club boards in a season where margins are already razor-thin.
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