Zamalek continued their recent revival with a third straight Egyptian Premier League win, securing an easy 2-1 win over second-bottom Nasr at Cairo Stadium on Friday. Goals from central defender Mahmoud Alaa and defensive midfielder Mohamed Ashraf, who scored from a penalty, either side of the interval were enough to give Zamalek all three points although there were some nervy moments at the death when Nasr pulled one back in stoppage time. Zamalek moved second with 18 points, two behind leaders Ismaily who have a game in hand on the White Knights. Nasr remained second from bottom with four points, having drawn four times and lost as many matches in their opening eight games.
Congolese striker Kabongo Kasongo had a goal correctly disallowed for offside but Zamalek amends on 25 minutes to deservedly go ahead. Ashraf's corner was flicked by midfielder Ahmed Dawouda to the far post, where Mahmoud Alaa popped up to stab home into an empty net for his third goal of the season. Winger Abdallah Gomaa had a golden chance to double Zamalek's lead six minutes before the break but curled his effort wide after being fed by pacy right-back Hazem Emam. It remained a one-way traffic in the second half, with Kasongo having another goal disallowed after the referee adjudged the ball to have gone out of play before diminutive winger Ahmed Madbouli crossed for the 23-year-old forward. Madbouli, one of Zamalek's best performers so far this season, earned a penalty on 50 minutes when he skipped past a couple of defenders, only to be felled by one of them as he advanced on goal. Spot-kick specialist Ashraf sent the keeper the wrong way to score his fifth goal of the season. Zamalek attacked at will for the rest of the second half but could not add to their tally and were punishd when Haggas Oweis pounced on Egypt defender Ali Gabr's miscued clearance to slot into the bottom corner from close range with one minute remaining. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
