Defender Ahmed Al-Sayed scored deep into stoppage time to save Ahli's blushes and claim a 2-2 draw with relegation-bound Smouha in Cairo. A sloppy performance from the champions saw Smouha lead by two goals through Ghanaian midfielder Godwin Attram, who also scored his team's only goal in last year's 1-1 draw. With 11 minutes to go, substitute Osama Hosni pulled one back for Ahli before the equalizer came in the eighth minute of injury time through the unlikeliest source of goals. Helped by Zamalek's 1-1 draw at Ittihad, the champions edge closer to the title as they remain five points clear on top, with two weeks to go. Smouha are staring relegation in the face as they trail 13th placed Gouna by six points. Poor first half Manuel Jose made some changes to his title-bound side, replacing suspended trio Wael Gomaa, Hossam Ashour and Geddo by Rami Rabiea, Ahmed Hassan and Dominique da Silva. Although they had most of the possession, Ahli were struggling against Smouha's defense, even though the visitors' keeper Mostafa Gaber was relatively busy. Gaber was lucky to see Dominique's low shot going inches wide of his post, but did well to thwart Emad Meteb from point-blank range, before saving powerful shots from distance by Sayed Moawad and Ahmed Fathi. The Reds were put under real pressure after learning that rivals Zamalek managed to put their noses in front through the in-form Hussein Yasser in Alexandria.
Jose was far from happy with his team Shock lead…late comeback The poor first-half performance forced Jose to make a double substitution in the break, bringing on Amir Sayoud and Mohamed Barakat for Hassan and Moawad. But the champs were stunned after 59 minutes when Attram headed home inside an empty net on the second attempt after Al-Sayed cleared Samuel Affum's effort off the line. The unexpected trailing prompted Jose to make his final substitution midway through the half by introducing the out-of-favor Hosni for Dominique. However, Smouha doubled their shock lead 15 minutes from time with a powerful penalty from Attram after Fathi was adjudged to have tackled Affum inside the area, although replays showed that the Ahli defender won the ball. Four minutes later, Ahli were back in contention with a fine volley from Hosni, following great work from Barakat on the right flank. Shortly after, Barakat made another superb run before sending a pinpoint cross for the lively Hosni to complete his double, but the latter's header was too soft for keeper Gaber to handle. Zamalek finished the game with a draw in Alexandria as Ahli were striving search for the equalizer that would save their 18-match unbeaten run and edge them closer to a seventh straight title. The decisive goal came in the seventh minute of injury time when goalkeeper Gaber misjudged Sayoud's corner, with the loose ball falling before a mass of players inside the six-yard box, only for Al-Sayed to apply the killer touch bundling in from two yards out. It was almost the last kick of the game as the champions were relieved to keep their five-point lead intact.
