ZAMALEK WITHDRAW from the Egyptian league over refereeing errors.

Zamalek have withdrawn from the Egyptian Premier League because of “disastrous refereeing errors”.

Club chairman Mortad Masour released a statement after Friday’s match between Tanta and Zamalek.

Zamalek’s stuttering start to the Egyptian Premier League continued after they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Tanta, who equalized with a controversial penalty in an incident-packed game on Friday.

Tanta wasted a first-half penalty awarded for an apparent foul committed by Zamalek’s Syrian full-back Moayad Ajan, although television replays showed there was a minimal contact between the Syrian full-back and Tanta’s Mohamed Gaber.

Zamalek’s keeper Ahmed El-Shennawi saved the resulting penalty and the visitors then squandered several goal-scoring chances until debutant Salah Ashour ended Tanta’s resistance with a 64th-minute volley.

However, Tanta were given another dubious penalty nine minutes later when Hammada El-Ghannam went down under the slightest of challenges from right-back Ahmed Tawfik.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSsPatXLtJ4

Striker Gaber dispatched the spot-kick and Zamalek’s late efforts to score a precious winner were in vain, with Tanta squandering a golden chance to snatch a stunning win in stoppage time.

Zamalek’s angry players harangued the referee following the final whistle, with the club then announcing it would withdraw from the league competition unless the Egyptian Football Association’s board members stepped down.

The stalemate, Zamalek’s third draw in five matches, saw them slip to fifth in the table with nine points, four behind leaders Masry. Tanta are ninth on six points.