Ahly cruise past El-Hodoud to move joint top

Ahly move level on points with arch-rivals Zamalek after claiming an easy 3-0 win over 10-man Haras El-Hodoud on Wednesday

Defending champions Ahly crushed 10-man Haras El-Hodoud 3-0 in Alexandria on Wednesday to draw level with arch-rivals Zamalek at the top of the Egyptian Premier League.
Forward Mohamed Nagy ‘Gedo' gave Ahly a first-half lead before El-Hodoud were dealt a further blow early in the second half when midfielder Abdel-Rahman Farouk was sent off after picking up two yellow cards.
The Red Devils capitalized on their numerical advantage to put the result beyond doubt with two second-half goals from in-form right-back Ahmed Fathi and veteran midfielder Ahmed Hassan, who came on as a second-half substitute.
Ahly, who eye a seventh consecutive league crown, atoned for last week's disappointing 2-2 draw with El-Entag El-Harby to move joint top, at least for one day. El-Hodoud failed to allay their relegation worries, as just five points separate them from the danger zone.
Zamalek, who are chasing their first league triumph since 2004, can restore their three-point lead at the top if they beat Maqassa on Thursday.
Elsewhere, Alexandria's most popular club Ittihad suffered more misery after surrendering their lead to lose 2-1 to El-Entag. They remained at the bottom with 16 points, three adrift of safety.
National anthem
The Egyptian national anthem was unusually played in a league game before kick off as the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) sought to ease rising tensions in domestic football.
The interior ministry sent a warning letter to the EFA earlier this week, saying the league could be cancelled if fan trouble continued, referring specifically to the continued use of firecrackers and attempts of pitch invasion.
Ahly mounted early pressure and could have opened the scoring as early as the eighth minute when a far-post header by Hossam Ghaly, who played as a central midfielder instead of the injured Mohamed Shawky, was superbly blocked by El-Hodoud keeper Gharib Hafez.
El-Hodoud were awarded a controversial penalty midway through the first half when combative central defender Wael Gomaa allegedly fouled Ahmed Mekki in an aerial challenge.
The referee's decision sparked fury among Ahly's players but they were relieved after El-Hodoud striker Ahmed Abdel-Ghany skied his spot-kick into the stands.
Despite the miss, Ahly's die-hard supporters, who packed El-Hodoud's stadium in Alexandria, made their anger clear after hurling bottles onto the pitch as the match was briefly stopped.
They were ecstatic though when Gedo gave them the lead in the 33rd minute after making the most of a pinpoint cross from the energetic Fathi.
He superbly skipped past a challenger down the right flank before crossing for Gedo to send a glancing header past the keeper and notch his fifth league goal this season, having been criticized lately for some below-par displays.
Matters went from bad to worse for El-Hodoud, who never really threatened the visitors, when they had midfielder Farouk sent off four minutes after the break for a needless handball.
The dismissal allowed Ahly to take firm control and launch a wave of attacks to score two more goals and ensure the win.
Fathi, who made uncommon forays into the opponents' area, doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute with a deflected left-foot shot from just inside the area.
Hassan completed the rout six minutes from time when he met Sayed Moawad's inswinging cross from the left with a neat half-volley which went past the hapless Hafez.