Football fans in Egypt will be gathering around their television sets this weekend as Zamalek play Ismaily in Friday's clasico to determine the leadership of Group B; Ahly face Gouna The Egyptian Premier League is heating up this weekend with both Cairo giants facing crucial games. Zamalek's 100 percent record will be tested by Ismaily on Friday night and title-holders Ahly will visit Gouna on Saturday in Egypt's two-group Premier League. Zamalek, the leaders of Group B, will play Ismaily in their final first round match at Cairo's El-Defaa El-Gawy stadium in what should be a tough match as only three points separate the sides. The popular Cairo-based club, which has had its best league start since the 2003-2004 season, has maximum points and beat Talae El-Geish 2-1 last week. "Beating Ismaily will boost Zamalek's morale ahead their crucial away match against DR Congo's Vita Club in the last-32 of the CAF Champions League on 6 April," the White Castle's 27-year-old striker Ahmed Gafar, who scored the first leg's only goal early this month, told the club's website. White Knight's coach Jorvan Vieira is confident about his squad after it was boosted by the return of ten players from national duty. "There is no pressure on the international players and we are all ready and fit for Ismaily," forward Mohamed Ibrahim said on Tuesday after Egypt's 2-1 win over Zimbabwe in the African qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup. Ismaily, who are desperate to be level on points with Zamalek, secured their sixth victory of the season with a 1-0 win against El-Entag El-Harby a week ago. They have 18 points and have lost only one match all season, 1-0 to Ittihad El-Shorta in the third match of the season. The coastal team's manager, Sabry El-Meniawy, will have to do without injured midfielders Amr Souleya and Sameh Abdel-Fadil, and striker Ahmad Ali. El-Meniawy surprised fans by calling up young midfielder Ibrahim Hassan for the clash. "Ibrahim Hassan is hungry for football. He caught the eye and has proved his ability to return [he was performing military service] and the technical staff want to use his enthusiasm," El-Meniawy told the club's official website. Ismaily will play in the Arab Cup of Clubs semi-final against Algeria's USM Alger on Wednesday, three days before they fly to Madagascar for the second leg of their CAF Confederation Cup round of 32 clash with Terrible CO whom they defeated 2-0 in Cairo 17 March. "Ismaily are ready for their next three vital matches. We prepare for each separately but a victory against Zamalek will really support us to maintain success," the Ismailia club coach told Reuters. In other matches in the same group, bottom club Arab Contractors will face Ittihad of Alexandria in a battle for survival on Friday and third-place Petrojet meet fourth-place Ittihad El-Shorta on Sunday night. Exhausting week for Ahly in search for top spot Champions Ahly are bidding to knock Group A leaders ENPPI from the top spot when they visit wounded outfit Gouna on Saturday afternoon. Ahly, who are only three points behind the leaders, have 12 points from six matches after losing 1-0 to Smouha in week three and 3-0 to Haras Al-Hodoud in week five. They have been missing key players to injury since the beginning of the season. Although Gouna are struggling against relegation with only five points after successive draws, they will be a tough challenge for the Cairo giants who are in search of a winning end to the first round of the season. Ahly will close their domestic race with a match against Hossam Hassan's Maqassa on Thursday, only two days before they host Kenya's Tusker in the second leg of CAF Champions League round of 32. Ahly beat Tusker 2-1 away on 16 March. Played behind closed doors, the 'martyrs league' is being held in a two-group format after the competition was suspended for over a year following the Port Said stadium disaster in February 2012 which left 72 Ahly fans dead. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at@AO Sportsand on Facebook atAhramOnlineSports) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/67942.aspx
