Goalless Draw Disappoints Al Ahly Against Ghazl El Mahalla

Al Ahly, the defending champions, were held to a disappointing goalless draw against hosts Ghazl El Mahalla in Matchday 4 of the Egyptian Premier League.

With this result, last season’s champions raised their tally to five points from three matches, while Ghazl El Mahalla, sitting in 12th place, endured their fourth consecutive goalless draw, further highlighting the team’s deep-rooted attacking struggles on a collective level.

Al Ahly’s Spanish coach, José Ribeiro, was forced to make defensive changes due to Mohamed Hany’s suspension, in addition to injuries sidelining Yassin Marei, Yasser Ibrahim, and Mohamed Shokry. This saw the team start with Omar Kamal Abdel Wahed, Moroccan defender Achraf Dari, Ahmed Ramadan “Beckham,” and Karim Fouad, while captain Mohamed El Shenawy returned in goal after leaving his spot to Mostafa Shobeir in the first two matches.

Match Highlights

Just three minutes into the game, Al Ahly created their first threat when Moroccan forward Achraf Bencharki delivered a cross that found Ahmed Sayed “Zizo,” whose header was denied by goalkeeper Amer Amer. The Ghazl shot-stopper shone again minutes later, parrying a powerful strike from Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” into a corner (8’).

Zizo then sent in another cross cleared by the defense, falling to Slovenian Nejc Gradisar, whose strike went just wide (18’), before Gradisar flicked a header to Zizo, who broke free but lofted his effort over the bar.

Ghazl El Mahalla waited until the 31st minute for their first real chance, when defender Ahmed Shousha tested El Shenawy with a free-kick effort that was comfortably saved. The first half’s biggest opportunity came in stoppage time, when Tunisian Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane teed up Trezeguet, whose clever strike rebounded off the right post.

At the start of the second half, Ribeiro introduced Ahmed Nabil “Koka” in place of Omar Kamal Abdel Wahed, as Mahalla retreated into a compact defensive shape. The half’s first chance fell in the 62nd minute when Gradisar fed Zizo, who unleashed a fierce left-footed strike, brilliantly pushed away by Amer. Three minutes later, Karim Fouad whipped in a cross that Ben Romdhane headed over the bar.

Ribeiro made more changes in the 67th minute, bringing on Ahmed Reda and Taher Mohamed Taher for Bencharki and Ben Romdhane. El Shenawy then produced a superb save to deny Mohamed Abdel Latif “Grendo’s” powerful header. Just a minute later, Zizo sent in another cross that Trezeguet met with a header, but his effort again missed the target.

In the 79th minute, Mohamed Sherif and Hussein El Shahat replaced Gradisar and Trezeguet. The closest chance to breaking the deadlock came in stoppage time when defender Dari surged forward from midfield and unleashed a thunderous strike that rattled the crossbar. Al Ahly, however, failed to find the net and had to settle for a single point.