Ahly players celebrate victory over Kahraba Ismailia in Egyptian League
Ahmed 'Koka' Nabil opened the scoring in the 17th minute, and Yassin Marie doubled the lead in the 36th to give Ahly a 2-0 advantage at halftime.
Mohamed Sherif added a third just five minutes after the restart, but the visitors scored in quick succession through Mohamed Ounajem, 57, and Essam El Fayoumi, 68, to revive their hopes of historic comeback.
Moroccan winger Achraf Bencharki scored a sublime free-kick in the 73rd minute to secure the three points.
The result marked Ahly’s fifth win of the season and their fourth in a row, lifting them to third in the standings on 18 points, level with leaders Masry and second-placed Zamalek, but behind on goal difference. Both Masry and Zamalek have played one more match.
A first half domination
Ahly dominated possession and created several scoring chances, including two disallowed goals by Bencharki for offside, one just three minutes after kickoff and another in the 21st minute.
Koka broke the deadlock with a low strike from inside the area, finishing off a clever assist from Mohamed Hany.
Soon after, Bencharki thought he had scored but was flagged offside.
Interim coach Emad El-Nahhas was forced into an early substitution in the 26th minute, bringing on Mohamed 'Afsha' Magdi to replace the injured Hussein El-Shahat.
Marie headed in Ahly’s second from a corner delivered by Ahmed ‘Sayed’ Zizo, extending their lead before the break.
Kahrabaa Ismailia applied pressure early in the second half in an attempt to mount a comeback, but Sherif punished their high line in the 50th minute with a clean strike from inside the area to make it 3-0.
Ounajem responded with a low header in the 57th minute to make it 3-1. Fayez fired from inside the box at the top, bottom to throw his team a lifeline, but Bencharki sealed the win with a precise free-kick that left the goalkeeper rooted.
Ahly could have extended their lead further, but substitutes Taher Mohamed Taher and Afsha missed late chances.
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