Ten-man Maqassa stun Zamalek to blow title race wide open

The Egyptian Premier League race is likely to go down to the wire as Zamalek suffer a stunning defeat at home to Maqassa

Leaders Zamalek failed to restore their three-point lead at the top of the Egyptian Premier League after suffering a stunning 1-0 defeat at home to an in-form Maqassa side, who played with ten men for around 57 minutes on Thursday.
Moroccan midfielder Omar Najdi stunned the enthusiastic home crowd with a 78th-minute goal, ten minutes following his introduction as Maqassa handed Zamalek their third league defeat this season.
The White Knights, who are chasing their first league title since 2004, are still on top with 46 points, ahead of second-placed and arch-rivals Ahly on goal difference after the defending champions crushed Haras El-Hodoud 3-0 on Wednesday.
The head-to-head record will determine the league winner if Cairo's bitter foes finish level on points come the competition's finale in July.
Maqassa coach Tarek Yehia, an ex-Zamalek left-back and assistant coach, started the game with a defensive line-up that featured four defensive midfielders to contain the hosts' attacking force.
It paid off as Zamalek couldn't find any spaces to break down Maqassa's defense as the visitors counted on strike duo Hussein Hamdy and Ivorian Oussou Konan to hit their opponents on the break.
Energetic striker Amr Zaki produced his usual combative performance, causing constant threat to Maqassa defenders who held firm.
He had the first real chance on goal when he was set up in the area by left-winger Hussein Yasser but his shot was deflected wide by Maqassa defender Ahmed Bakry.
At the half hour mark, Zaki, who recently recovered from his niggling knee complaints, had another attempt when he volleyed a corner wide over the bar.
The game took another twist in the 33rd minute when referee Yasser Mahmoud handed Maqassa's Hamdy a straight red card for allegedly elbowing Zamalek midfielder Hassan Mostafa. Television replays were inconclusive as to whether there was contact.
Reduced to 10 men, Maqassa had to retreat to their own half, leaving Konan isolated upfront.
Zamalek gained control of the game in terms of possession but still failed to threaten the keeper, who just watched a couple of free-kicks from Mahmoud Fathallah and specialist Mahmoud Abdel-Razek “Shikabala” go wide.
Coach Hossam Hassan brought in winger Hazem Emam instead of central midfielder Ibrahim Salah to give his team more attacking options.
However, the frustration of a threat-less display remained despite a 70% ball possession.
Against the run of play, a Maqassa counter-attack ended in the feet of Konan who spurned a golden opportunity when his lob went over the bar with just keeper Abdel-Wahed El-Sayed to beat in the 59th minute.
Al-Sayed had to make a heroic save to deny another close-range effort from midfielder Ahmed Abdel-Raouf as Maqassa proved dangerous with some neatly-worked counter attacks.
Maqassa finally made the most of those attacks when Fouad Salama picked out Najdi with a superb inswinging cross to notch home at the far post after Zamalek's left-back Mohamed Abdel-Shafy was caught napping.
Zamalek mounted pressure in the latter stages and Shikabala had one of his trademark free-kicks brilliantly blocked keeper Mostafa Kamal.
The vociferous home fans kept chanting their club's name in stoppage time but their support did not bear fruit as Zamalek missed out on the chance of going three points clear of Ahly with seven matches to go.