Defending champions Ahly maintained their 100 percent start to the Egyptian Premier League to move top with an easy 3-0 victory over Wadi Degla on Wednesday. Ramadan Sobhi continued his rich vein of form to open the scoring early in the second half, taking his tally to five league goals in as many games. Substitute Walid Azaro doubled the lead on 72 minutes before Ahmed El-Sheikh, who also came on in the second half, wrapped up the win with a stoppage-time strike. Ahly's fifth victory from as many games lifted them to the top with 15 points, two ahead of second-placed Ittihad who played a game more. Degla's struggles persisted as they lie at the bottom with only three points from seven matches. The hosts adopted their trademark bold tactics, with their high backline exposing them to repeated Ahly attacks, which yielded two clear-cut chances in the first half. Veteran goalie Mohamed Abdel-Monsef, 42, charged out to thwart Ramadan Sobhi and Junior Ajayi in one-on-ones as Degla kept their fancied opponents at bay. But their resistance did not last for long as Ahly broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute. Abdel-Monsef could only push a cross into the path of Sobhi inside the area, with the in-form winger skipping past his challenger and beating the keeper with a low, close-range shot at his near post. Degla spurned a golden chance to level the score five minutes past the hour mark when Tunisian forward Rafik Kabou broke clear, only for Ahly keeper Mohamed El-Shennawi to rush out and smother his shot with his leg. But any comeback hopes they had were demolished when Azaro added the third with a simple tap-in from a Hussein El-Shahat cross. Fellow substitute El-Sheikh volleyed home from close range in stoppage time as Ahly secured a routine win. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
