Ismaily aim to continue their winning streak against Smouha, while Haras El Hodoud hope to bounce back as they take on Itthad El-Shorta on Thursday, in postponed matches from day 5 of the Egyptian Premier League After three straight victories, Ismaily coach Marc Wotte hopes to maintain the trend against Smouha and move closer to the top of the league. The 50-year-old Dutch tactician welcomed back team skipper Mohamed 'Homos' Soliman, while star Hosny Abd-Rabo is still unavailable, having just resumed training after a four-month lay-off due to a cruciate knee ligament injury. “Smouha are very enthusiastic now and we have to be careful to get through them,” assistant coach Ahmed Qenawy said on television. The Alexandria-based side have had a fresh start under the helm of coach Hamza El Gamal who led them to a stunning 3-1 victory away over Masry and a well-deserved 1-1 draw against six-time defending champions, Ahly. Smouha want to maintain their progress and get out of the relegation zone as they are at the bottom of the table with only 12 points. Meanwhile Ismaily are fourth with 22 points – only five behind leaders, Zamalek. In Alexandria, Haras El Hodoud are looking for their first victory in five matches, after holding twice and losing in their previous games, dropping to eleventh place with just 14 points. The Cup winners will face the rising power of the season, Itthad El-Shorta, who have consistently climbed the table to become runners-up with 23 points, courtesy of their mastermind coach, Talaat Youssef, who is well-known for his defensive approach.
