CAIRO — Zamalek dropped crucial points after being held to a draw by Ceramica Cleopatra, while both Petrojet and El-Gouna celebrated their first victories of the season. In another fixture, Al-Masry and Haras el-Hodood played out a goalless stalemate in the fifth round of the 2024-2025 Egyptian Premier League.
At Cairo International Stadium, Zamalek and Ceramica Cleopatra shared the spoils in a thrilling 1-1 draw.
Ceramica took an early lead in the 13th minute through winger Islam Issa, who capitalized on a superb pass from midfielder Mohamed Adel. Zamalek equalized just seven minutes later when a cross from Polish forward Konrad Michalak forced an own goal by Ceramica’s Mohamed Adel.
The result leaves Zamalek in second place with 10 points from five matches (three wins, one draw, and one loss), while Ceramica Cleopatra sits fourth with eight points (two wins, two draws, and one loss).
In a tactical move, Zamalek’s Swiss coach Christian Gross substituted Michalak with Mohamed Shahat, and repositioned Ahmed Sayed ‘Zizo’ to strengthen the attack.
Despite sustained pressure from the White Knights, they were unable to find a winning goal.
At the New Suez Stadium, Haras el-Hodoud and Al-Masry of Port Said played to a goalless draw in a tightly contested encounter.
The result brought Al-Masry’s points tally to 11, placing them at the top of the league standings, while Haras El-Hodood earned just their second point of the season, remaining firmly rooted at the bottom of the table.
Al-Masry started the match with high intensity, nearly scoring in the opening minute when a deflected pass from Senegalese forward Pape Badji struck the post.
In the 36th minute, Al-Masry’s midfielder Khaled el-Ghandour fired a powerful shot from inside the penalty area, but it soared over the crossbar.
Just before halftime, right-winger Ahmed el-Armouty missed a clear scoring opportunity for Al-Masry, sending his effort over the net from close range.
The second-half was largely dominated by Al-Masry, particularly after coach Ali Maher made attacking changes, introducing striker Salah Mohsen and Tunisian forward Fakhreddine Ben Youssef.
In the 79th minute, Ben Youssef missed a one-on-one chance following an incisive pass from Salah Mohsen, with Haras el-Hodoud’s goalkeeper Mohamed Seha producing a brilliant save to keep the scores level.
Drama unfolded in stoppage time when Ben Youssef went down in the penalty area in the 98th minute, appealing for a penalty. However, following a VAR review, the referee upheld his decision not to award the spot-kick, confirming the match would end in a 0-0 stalemate.
El-Gouna earned a 1-0 victory over Enppi in their match at El-Gouna Stadium.
This win marked El-Gouna’s first of the season after five rounds, with right-winger Ali el-Zahdi scoring the decisive goal in the 85th minute against the youthful Enppi side.
As a result, Enppi remains in 15th place with 4 points from 5 matches, having secured 1 win, 1 draw, and 3 losses. The petroleum team has scored 5 goals and conceded 6.
El-Gouna sits in 9th place with 6 points from 5 matches, having drawn 3 times, lost once, and secured 1 victory while conceding a single goal.
At the Sports Authority Stadium, Petrojet claimed their first win of the season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Talae el-Geish.
The decisive moment came in the 32nd minute when Palestinian forward Badr Moussa broke through the defense and fired a powerful shot past El-Geish goalkeeper.
The victory lifted Petrojet to 11th place in the league standings with 5 points, while Talae el-Geish remained in 8th position with 7 points.
Despite Petrojet leading 1-0 at halftime, Talae el-Geish pushed for an equalizer in the second-half. In the 70th minute, Petrojet goalkeeper Omar Salah produced a remarkable save, denying a well-placed header from winger Islam Mohareb.
Petrojet’s defense remained resolute until the final whistle, securing a vital three points in their League campaign.
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