CAIRO – The exceptional 2024–2025 Egyptian Premier League season resumed with the second round of the second phase, delivering a mix of outcomes across both the Championship Group — which contests the title — and the Relegation Group, battling to avoid the drop.
The headline fixture of the Championship Group saw Al-Ahly and Pyramids FC play out a 1-1 draw in a tightly contested encounter at Cairo’s Air Defense Stadium, with both sides settling for a point in their pursuit of league supremacy.
The league’s unique 2024–2025 format features 18 teams and is structured across two distinct phases. The first phase followed a traditional single round-robin format, after which teams were divided into two groups based on their standings.
Under the revised system, the number of matches per team has been reduced from 34 to 25, aiming to ease fixture congestion while maintaining competitive intensity.
The top nine teams advanced to the Championship Group, where they are vying for the Egyptian Premier League title and qualification spots in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup. This group comprises Pyramids FC, Al-Ahly, Zamalek, Al-Masry of Port Said, NBE Club, Ceramica Cleopatra, Pharco FC, Petrojet, and Haras El-Hodood.
Meanwhile, the bottom nine teams have been placed in the Relegation Group, where they are battling to avoid demotion to the Professional League. This group includes Talae El-Geish, ZED FC, Smouha, Al-Ittihad of Alexandria, Ghazl El-Mahalla, El-Gouna, Ismaily, Enppi, and Modern Sport.
Pyramids FC 1–1 Al-Ahly
The marquee fixture of the second round in the Championship Group ended in a 1-1 stalemate, as defending champions Al-Ahly and Pyramids FC battled to a draw.
Despite being reduced to ten men following the 57th-minute dismissal of Mohannad Lashin, Pyramids FC took the lead in the 87th minute through Moroccan right-back Mohamed Chibi. However, Al-Ahly responded in stoppage time, with midfielder Ahmed Reda scoring a last-gasp equalizer in the sixth minute of added time.
The result keeps the title race tightly contested. Pyramids remained at the top of the standings with 44 points, maintaining a four-point lead over Al-Ahly, who now sits at 40 points.
Ceramica 2-0 Pharco
Ceramica Cleopatra defeated Pharco FC 2-0 in their second-round fixture of the Championship Group, played at Max Stadium in Alexandria.
Ahmed Ramadan opened the scoring for Ceramica in the 73rd minute, with Ahmed Reda sealing the win with a stoppage-time goal. The victory moved Ceramica up to sixth place in Group A of the title race, increasing their points tally to 27. Pharco remained in seventh position with 26 points.
El-Mahalla 1–0 Smouha
Ghazl El-Mahalla secured a narrow 1–0 victory over Smouha at El-Mahalla Stadium in the second round of the Relegation escape Group.
The decisive goal came in the 35th minute through Tunisian forward Mohamed Ali Ben Hammouda, who skillfully dribbled past defender Mustafa Mido before unleashing a powerful shot that beat goalkeeper El-Hany Soliman.
This win lifted Ghazl El-Mahalla to 20 points, moving them into fourth place in the relegation group standings. Smouha, meanwhile, remains in fifth place with no change to their points tally (20 points).
El-Gouna 2–1 ZED
El-Gouna claimed a hard-fought 2–1 win over ZED FC at Cairo International Stadium in the second round of the relegation escape group.
Nigerian winger Favour Akem opened the scoring for El-Gouna in the 28th minute, while compatriot Tolulope Samuel Ojo added a second in the 57th minute. ZED’s lone goal came from forward Shadi Hussein in the 54th minute.
The victory took El-Gouna’s tally to 23 points, placing them second in the relegation group standings. Despite the loss, ZED remains at the top of the group with 24 points.
