Mahmoud Kahraba scored against his ex-club and substitute Mohamed Sherif added a late brace as Ahly claimed the Cairo derby’s bragging rights with an impressive 3-0 win over Zamalek on Saturday, dealing a severe blow to their rivals’ Egyptian Premier League hopes.
After a dull first half ended goalless, the match sprang into life after the break when Kahraba, on only his second match after returning from a six-month suspension, opened the scoring following a defensive lapse on 61 minutes.
He made way for Sherif a few minutes later and the striker, who has been criticized for a number of below-par displays this season, killed off Zamalek’s hopes with a well-taken double as the White Knights’ defence was left in tatters.
Ahly’s midfield linchpin Hamdi Fathi dictated play with an all-round display despite having just returned from injury as the team looked barely affected by a raft of injuries that hit some key players, including central defensive duo Mohamed Abdel-Moneim and Yasser Ibrahim.
The Red Devils, who top the table with 34 points from 14 games, increased their lead over fourth-placed and defending champions Zamalek to eight points. Future are second on 30 points, with Pyramids third on 27.
