Al Ahly v Zamalek FEB. 9th 2016| Cairo Derby Preview
Match Info:
Tuesday, FEB. 9th 2016
Match K.O. at 19:00 Cairo Local Time | 13:00 ET (Canada-USA)
Venue: Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria
Referee: Victor Kassai
Victor Kassai, 2010 World Cup semi-final referee, to take charge of Tuesday’s Cairo derby.
Hungarian referee Victor Kassai has been selected by the Egyptian FA’s refereeing committee to officiate the league derby between Ahly and Zamalek on Tuesday.
Kassai, 40, was the referee of the 2011 UEFA Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United at Wembley Sadium, which saw the Spanish giants prevail 3-1.
He also refereed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where he was in charge of four games – including the semi-final which saw eventual champions Spain overcome Germany 1-0.
Kassai will be assisted by Vinsel Toth, Gyorgy Ring and fourth offical Adam Farkas.
Egyptian football legend Hossam Hassan comments on the derby:
Al Ahly SC
After the return of recently-recovered Gabonese striker Malick Evouna and midfielder Saleh Gomaa, Ahly caretaker coach Abdel-Aziz “Zizo” Abdel-Shafi could face a lineup choice dilemma as he is expected to change his regular starting XI when the Reds host Zamalek on Tuesday.
Under the helm of Zizo, Ahly played the previous three games in the Egyptian Premier League with a 4-4-2 scheme pairing John Antwi and Amr Gamal up front due to the absence of influential duo Gomaa and Evouna.
Despite winning all three games – Ismaily 1-0, Ittihad of Alexandria 1-0 and ENPPI 2-0 – the front line failed to prove its efficiency with Gamal and Antwi scoring only once each and squandering a host of chances.
Ahly and Egypt’s record-sign Evouna might help Zizo turn his fortunes around with his blistering pace and imposing physical presence. The 23-year-old Gabon international striker scored five goals in four games and could come, if totally fit, at the expense of Gamal or Antwi.
Zizo may also opt for a tactical move using a 4-2-3-1 formation to line up gifted playmaker Saleh Gomaa alongside Abdallah El-Said and Ramadan Sobhi just behind a lone striker; a gifted trio that combines pace and skill and gives a helping hand to their defenders.
Possible Ahly lineup
Ekrami – Rahil, Hegazy, Rabia, Ahmed Fathi, Ghaly, Ashour, El-Said, Saleh Gomaa, Ramadan Sobhi, Evouna.
Al Ahly fans predict the Cairo Derby
Egyptian National Team coach Hector Cooper speaking about the CAIRO DERBY
Zamalek SC
Zamalek coach Ahmed “Mido” Hossam will be eyeing a positive result to silence critics and keep his post when his team face arch-rivals Ahly in the Egyptian league Cairo derby at Alexandria’s Borg El-Arab Stadium on Tuesday.
After losing both league and Cup titles to Zamalek, Ahly defeated the Whites 3-2 in their last confrontation in the Super Cup match in October to clinch their sole trophy last season.
Last week, Mido tasted his first loss at the helm of Zamalek when his former club Ismaily inflicted a 1-0 defeat on the Egyptian champions, giving them a reality check ahead of Tuesday’s derby.
Zamalek won four games in a row after Mido took over for a second spell early in January, but he was criticised for a series of uninspiring displays despite the abundance of attacking talents at his disposal.
Recent reports in Egyptian media claimed that Mido, Zamalek’s third coach this season, could be facing the axe if he loses to Ahly, as the club’s management has already begun to search for alternatives.
Possible Zamalek lineup:
El Shennawy, Gaber, Gabr, Dweidar, Tolba; Tawfik, Abdel-Khalek; Shikabala, Hefny, Kahraba; Morsi
Zamalek Fans predict the Cairo Derby:
