Zamalek failed to grab their first win over Talae El-Gaish in almost 20 months after being held to a 1-1 draw on Monday in the third matchday of the Egyptian Premier League. Ghanaian striker Ernest Papa Arko, 31, canceled out Ahmed Hassan's lead in the 27th minute to register a third straight draw since the Whites' 1-0 win in 11 March 2010. Hassan Shehata's men, who have a game in hand, were a shadow of the team that hammered Ghazl El-Mahalla 6-1 in the previous match. They bagged four points from two matches. Different tactical choice Shehata opted for a different tactical approach, switching from the formerly adopted 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 scheme, which included lively midfielder Omar Gaber as the former Egypt coach sought to increase his team's domination in midfield. He fielded a three-pronged attack featuring Amr Zaki, Ahmed Hassan and Mahmoud Abdel-Razek “Shikabala”. It proved to be efficient as Zamalek dominated the game in terms of possession and were able to press Talae El-Gaish deep into their half but they struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first 20 minutes. Ahmed Hassan came close to scoring midway through the second half but his deflected free kick crashed off the crossbar. However, he made amends shortly after to open the scoring when his deflected low from inside the area wrong-footed keeper Emad El-Sayed after some good individual work from Zamalek right-back Ahmed Samir. It took El-Gaish only four minutes to respond as Ghanaian striker Papa Arko nipped in between two markers to convert Salah Amin's low cross and restore parity. Zamalek were back on the offensive in an attempt to break down a resolute El-Gaish side and Gaber was the closest to score on the stroke of halftime when he ran onto a brilliant back-heel pass from Zaki but he blasted the ball wide. Aiming to mount more pressure upfront, Shehata brought in striker Ahmed Gaafar, replacing Omar Gaber in the 48th minute to revert to his classical 4-4-2 formation. Zaki's 55th minute goal was ruled out for offside as he was way behind the defense when he picked Shikabala's blocked shot. Zamalek regained their control of the game and enjoyed 60 percent of the possession with the deep runs of Shikabala, Zaki and Hassan causing menace to El-Gaish's backline. Zaki sent Gaafar clear in the area but the towering striker failed to beat the keeper after breaking the offside trap. Hassan then fired a 25-yeard shot that went over the bar. The game witnessed some interesting moments on and off the pitch as Zamalek players demanded a penalty after the ball hit Sameh Hussein's hand. It was the defender's second suspected handball, leaving the players and fans quit intense as the clock ticked away. El-Gaish's real threat El-Gaish coach Farouk Gaafar brought in influential playmaker Ayman Hefny to give his men some creativity and ease pressure on the team. The former Maqassa talisman proved his coach right as the hosts managed to improve their attacking display. Gomaa Mashhour blasted a free kick over the bar and Papa Arko dribbled past three defenders after a superb solo effort but his subsequent shot was denied by a heroic save from Zamalek guardian Abdel-Wahed El-Sayed. Two minutes later, Hefny's long range shot struck the keeper's hand and the bar. After being stunned by the string of counter attacks from their opponents, Zamalek tried to secure a late win with attempts from Hassan and Shikabala but could not break down El-Gaish's disciplined defense.
