CAIRO – Title holders Al-Ahly rebounded from their recent draw against Zamalek with a victory over Haras el-Hodoud, while Pharco FC and El-Gouna earned hard-fought wins against Ismaili and Modern Sport, respectively, in the 16th round of the Egyptian Premier League.
Al-Ahly secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Haras el-Hodoud in their encounter at Borg el-Arab Stadium in Alexandria, bouncing back from their recent draw against Zamalek.
With this win, Al-Ahly moved to 36 points, temporarily reclaiming the top spot in the league standings, while Haras el-Hodoud remained in sixth place with 22 points.
The defending champions dominated much of the match, creating several scoring opportunities.
Slovenian forward Nejc Gradisar came closest in the first half when his header struck the post, while Palestinian striker Wessam Abou Ali squandered two clear chances due to a lack of precision in the final touch.
The decisive moment came in the third minute of stoppage time when Moroccan left-winger Achraf Bencharki led a well-structured attack. Bencharki played a one-two with right-back Omar Kamal, controlled the return pass on his chest, and fired a precise shot past El-Hodoud’s goalkeeper Mahmoud el-Zanfuly.
From the outset, Al-Ahly dictated play in midfield, applying high pressure to disrupt their opponent’s build-up. The team relied on a midfield trio—Emam Ashour, Hussein el-Shahat, and Gradisar—positioned behind Abou Ali to drive the attack.
Despite their control, Al-Ahly struggled to penetrate Haras el-Hodoud’s disciplined defensive setup. In the 29th minute, right-back Mohamed Hani delivered a pinpoint cross, but Abou Ali uncharacteristically missed the target.
The defensive resilience of El-Hodoud, which relied on zonal marking and compact positioning, made it difficult for the Red Devils to break through.
Midfielder Ashour attempted a low-driven shot in the 75th minute, but his effort lacked power and rolled wide of El-Zanfuly’s right post.
Following the match, Al-Ahly head coach Marcel Koller expressed his satisfaction with the result.
“We faced a strong opponent that has delivered commendable performances throughout the competition,” the Swiss tactician said according to Al-Ahly’s official website.
“We controlled possession and created several chances, particularly in the first half. The winning goal was a well-earned reward for our efforts, and we achieved our objective with it,” Koller added.
At Cairo International Stadium, El-Gouna secured a hard-fought 3-2 win over Modern Sport in their encounter.
Nigerian winger Tolulope Samuel Ojo starred for El-Gouna, scoring twice in the 13th and 22nd minutes, while his compatriot, left winger Favour Akem, extended the lead with a goal in the 49th minute.
Modern Sport mounted a late comeback attempt, with striker Ahmed Atef finding the net in the 72nd and 83rd minutes, but they ultimately fell short of salvaging a point.
With this win, El-Gouna climbed to 16 points, moving up to 14th place in the standings, while Modern Sport remained at the bottom with 9 points.
At Ismailia Stadium, Pharco FC secured a 2-0 win over Ismaili, climbing to seventh place with 22 points, while Ismaili remained 16th with 13 points.
The breakthrough came in the 66th minute when defensive midfielder Yassin El-Mallah capitalized on a long throw-in, firing a powerful shot into the top right corner after a defensive lapse.
Three minutes later, left-back Azmi Ghouma doubled the lead, calmly finishing inside the box to seal the victory.
