Tamer Mohamed
CAIRO — Zamalek delivered a dominant performance to defeat Ghazl el-Mahalla, while Al-Masry of Port Said and Pharco FC also emerged victorious, overcoming Pyramids FC and Petrojet, respectively, in the fourth round of the Egyptian Premier League season.
At Ghazl el-Mahalla Stadium, Zamalek secured a dominant 4-0 win over Ghazl el-Mahalla.
Zamalek’s victory raised their total to 9 points, propelling them to second place in the league standings, while El-Mahalla stayed at 4 points, sitting in 13th position.
The match started dramatically as referee Mahmoud Basyouni showed a red card to El-Mahalla defender Yahya Zakaria in the first minute for a violent tackle on Zamalek’s Ahmed Eisho.
After consulting VAR, the referee confirmed his decision and also issued a yellow card to El-Mahalla coach Ahmed Eid Abdel Malek for protesting the dismissal.
Zamalek took the lead in the 19th minute when striker Nasser Mansi lobbed a brilliant shot past the goalkeeper, capitalizing on a precise pass from playmaker Abdullah Al-Saeed.
Just three minutes later, Mansi struck again, doubling the lead with a well-placed header off a cross from right-back Omar Gaber.
In the 71st minute, the White Knights earned a penalty after Palestinian striker Omar Farag was fouled in the box. Winger Ahmed Sayed ‘Zizo’ calmly converted it, extending the lead to 3-0.
Defender Hossam Abdel-Meguid capped off the scoring in the 79th minute with a powerful header from a left-flank cross, sealing Zamalek’s emphatic 4-0 win.
At Cairo’s Petrosport Stadium, Pharco FC secured a 2-1 victory over Petrojet.
Defensive midfielder Mahmoud Gehad opened the scoring for Pharco in the 23rd minute, followed by a second goal from right-winger Walid Farag in the 41st minute.
Petrojet’s lone goal came in the 73rd minute when attacking midfielder Rashad el-Metwaly converted a penalty kick.
The match ended on a dramatic note as Petrojet’s right-winger Khaled Aboziada was shown a red card in the 95th minute.
With this win, Pharco climbed to fifth place in the league table with 7 points, while Petrojet remained in 17th place with just 2 points.
At the New Suez Stadium, Al-Masry of Port Said secured a narrow 1-0 win over Pyramids FC.
The victory is prescious for Al-Masry which ended Pyramids’ unbeaten run against them, a streak that had lasted since August 12, 2021, when the Port Said-based club won 1-0 in the league, with Islam Attia scoring the only goal of the match.
In the first-half, both teams traded opportunities, focusing on build-up play from the back. Despite determined efforts from both sides, they struggled to find the back of the net, with solid defenses keeping the score level, and the half ended in a 0-0 draw.
In the second-half, Al-Masry ramped up their offensive efforts against their sky-blue opponents.
The breakthrough came in the 55th minute when left-winger Mohamed el-Shami found the back of the net for the Port Said-based club.
Despite Pyramids’ efforts to equalize, their attacks were thwarted by Al-Masry’s resolute defense, which held firm to maintain a clean sheet until the final whistle.
This win propelled Al-Masry to the top of the league standings with 10 points, while Pyramids FC dropped to third place with 7 points.
