Zamalek, steadily moving towards an elusive Egyptian Premier League title, will be eyeing a competition record when they face Petrojet away from home on Saturday. The Cairo giants, who have not won the league since 2004, will move onto 76 points should they overcome ninth-placed Petrojet and beat the record of 74 points set by their arch-rivals Ahly in a hugely impressive 2004-05 season. Even if Zamalek fail to defeat Petrojet, setting a record appears a formality as they will still have seven matches remaining before the end of the longest season since the league was inaugurated in 1948. This season is the first to comprise 20 teams, giving Zamalek an advantage to set a record, given the stuttering form of defending champions Ahly who hit top gear in the latter stages when it was too late to stage a remarkable comeback. Zamalek haven't suffered any losses in 9 league matches under Portuguese coach Jesualdo Ferreira, who is uncertain to remain beyond the end of the season with reports linking Mido with a return to the team's dugout, winning eight and drawing only once to maintain their impressive domestic run. "Petrojet are a very good team and we have to be very cautious. They are much better than Damanhour," Ferreira said, referring to the already-relegated team that Zamalek had crushed 3-0 in their previous match. The White Knights welcome back Burkinabe defender Mohamed Koffi, who missed the victory over Damanhour after taking part in his national team's 2-0 victory over Comoros in their opening African Cup of Nations Group D qualifier last Saturday. Ahly will be seeking to maintain their fine run under coach Fathi Mabrouk when they host Gouna on Saturday, having won four out of five league matches after he took over following the sacking of Spaniard Juan Garrido. They welcome back influential trio Mahmoud Trezeguet, Emad Meteb and Hussein El-Sayed after having to face Maqassa without a host of key players due to injuries and suspensions in a match they won 2-0 with second-half goals from striker Ahmed Abdel-Zaher and Islam Roshdi last Wednesday. However, their worst fears were realised when youngster Karim Bambo suffered a knee injury that will rule him out of action for at least six months, having ruptured a cruciate knee ligament. (For more sports news andupdates, followAhramOnlineSportson Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebookatAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/133216.aspx
