A depleted Ahly side wasted the chance to go two points clear on top of the Egyptian Premier League table after being held to a 0-0 draw by El-Entag El-Harby in Cairo on Sunday, which ended their three-match winning run. The Red Devils will feel hard done by though after they were on the receiving end of two refereeing errors either side of the interval. They should have been awarded a penalty early on and had a goal in the latter stages wrongfully ruled out for offside, with television replays showing that left-back Ayman Ashraf was onside in the build-up. Ahly missed six regular players through injury, including influential winger Walid Soliman and Tunisian left-back Ali Maaloul, and they appeared bereft of ideas against Entag. However, they could have still bagged maximum points had it not been for their profligacy. Ahly are joint top with 11 points, on level with Pyramids FC who were also held to a 1-1 draw by Smouha earlier in the day. Entag are fifth on nine points after five games. The title holders were livelier in the first half despite the absences and were denied a clear penalty after eight minutes when Moroccan marksman Walid Azaro was wrestled to the ground near the byline. They had a half-chance on 20 minutes when towering central defender Salif Coulibaly had a far-post header saved by the keeper but their best goal-scoring opportunity came three minutes later. Azaro, who was at the heart of most of Ahly's attacking attempts, pounced on a defensive mistake to break clear but his tame effort struck the legs of the advancing keeper. Entag also had their moments and a powerful long-range shot from Mahmoud Hamada rattled the post seven minutes before the break. Both sides eased off in a dour second half but Ahly were still unlucky not to snatch a win when a diving header from substitute Mido Gaber struck the upright in the 65th minute. Another substitute, Moemen Zakareya, side-footed home from Ashraf's low cross ten minutes from time but his celebration was short-lived after the linesman raised his flag. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
