Title-chasing Zamalek wallop Contractors to set league record

Zamalek crush Arab Contractors as Ahly had to fight back to beat Petrojet in the Egyptian league on Tuesday

Zamalek edged closer to an elusive Egyptian league title after thrashing Arab Contractors 3-0 to set a league record of 77 points, beating Ahly's previous record of 74.
A goal from defender Mohammed Koffi and another brace from Ahmed Eid were enough to make sure that Zamalek beat their opponents, as they now only need seven points from their upcoming six games.
Meanwhile, Ahly needed an own goal from Petrojet defender Ahmed Magdi to secure a comeback 2-1 victory away from home at Suez Stadium.
After going one goal down following Shimelis Bekele's eighth-minute opener, Egypt international Walid Soliman leveled the scoring on the stroke of half time, before Magdi did the rest with just 11 minutes remaining.
League holders Ahly lie second on 68 points as they have only five matches left.
Zamalek outclass Contractors
After seeing a terrific shot from Ayman Hefni denied by the bar, following another curler from Eid that went narrowly wide, Koffi finally put his side in front after heading home Omar Gaber's pin-point cross after 32 minutes.
Five minutes later, Contractors were awarded a debatable penalty after holding midfielder Ibrahim Salah had been adjudged to have handled the ball inside the area by the referee.
But a brilliant piece of goalkeeping from keeper El-Shennawi saw him thwart Ernest Papa Arko's spot kick and keep a clean sheet, before starting the attack which eventually resulted in his side's second.
After Gaber's cross from the left handside of the area was headed away by a Contractors' defender into Ahmed Tawfik's path, the latter set up Eid who beat the keeper from inside the area.
Eid then completed his personal double just two minutes from the hour mark from nearly the same spot inside the area, with dazzling midfielder Hefni evading a challenger before brilliantly setting up the former with the outside of his foot to make it three.
Ahly battle to beat Petrojet
In Suez, Ahly had to battle for a hard-earned win over a resilient Petrojet side after going one goal behind after just eight minutes through forward Bekele.
The Ethiopian pounced on an ill-fated back-pass from midfielder Hossam Ashour to teammate defender Mohamed Naguib going directly towards goal and steering past keeper Ahmed Adel.
Despite bossing possession afterwards, Ahly had to wait till the end of a two-minute stoppage time to level the scoring, with Soliman flying to head in Abdallah El-Saied's corner kick from the right for the equalizer.
In the second half, Ahly could have well taken the lead in the 66th minute, but Amr Gamal's powerful shot from inside the area was denied by the hosts' defense to keep the scoring level.
Ramadan Sobhi, who is the subject of a move to AS Roma, provided a glimpse of his skills after tricking two defenders before seeing his one-on-one effort denied by the keeper on 72 minutes.
But as Sobhi was about to shoot from inside the area following Mahmoud 'Trezeguet's pass, Petrojet defender Magdi made sure the ball went into his own net after inadvertently scoring past his keeper to lose the game to the reigning champions.
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