Ahli is the official champion of the 2006-2007 Egyptian league football season. Inas Mazhar reports on the club's 100th football title in its 100th year Though there are still three weeks to go before the conclusion of the national premier league season, Ahli captured its 100 major soccer crown, the national league championship, to coincide nicely with the club's centennial celebrations. The victory, Ahli's third league crown in a row, came following a 2-0 victory over Al-Geish in Cairo Stadium on Sunday night. Captain Shadi Mohamed opened the scoring with a penalty in the 23rd minute. Emad El-Nahhas sealed the victory following a close-range header with only 10 minutes to go. As soon as the referee blew the final whistle, Ahli fans rushed into the streets and main roads of the capital honking car horns and singing and dancing. Some marched in parades to the Ahli club in Gezira. The city donned the red colour as fans serenaded the players, singing the praises of each by name. The festivities continued until the early hours of the morning. The players celebrated with the fans in the stands. The club's 100th title is an unprecedented achievement in the world of professional football. Ahli has now won the champions league trophy 32 times, far ahead of any other Egyptian team in the 50 years of league football. Second is Zamalek with 11 league wins to its name. With three games remaining in the season, Ahli is ahead with 70 points after playing 27 games, nine points more than Ismaili which has played 28 games. Zamalek is third with 59 points from 27 games. With first place sown up by Ahli, the end of the season will now focus on the battle for second place between Zamalek and Ismaili. The three teams at the bottom of the league standings, Olympic of Alexandria, Tanta and Petrol Assiout, are close to relegation. Other results in the 27th week saw Masri knock Petrojet down 4-1, Mehalla edged Enppi 1-0, Ittihad and Olympic drew 1-1 while Petrol Assiout and Tanta played to a scoreless draw. The Arab Contractors beat Tersana 1-0. The Coastal Guards, Mehalla, the Army, Enppi, Petrojet, the Arab Contractors, Masri, Ittihad, Cement Suez, Tersana, Olympic, Tanta and Petrol Assiout are placed from the 4th to 16th place respectively. Ahli head coach Portuguese Manuel Jose has suggested to the club's football committee that the rest of the matches in the league and FA Cup, in which Ahli is in the quarter-finals, be played with the substitutes and the juniors, even in the last two matches where Ahli will face Zamalek and Ismaili. The famed Ahli-Zamalek duel is scheduled for Monday. According to Jose, the first-team key players are exhausted after going through so many competitions without rest since winning last year's African Champions league, then placing third in the World Clubs Championship in Japan and then winning the league championship. Jose said he believed the players needed some time off before the going gets tough in the group stage of the African Champions League. The FA Cup competition starts in the second half of July, while the first match for Ahli in the quarter-finals of the African Champions League is scheduled for 26 June. Jose said if Ahli footballers continue to play without rest, it would be difficult for them to successfully defend their African Champions League title, in which the club seeks to set a record by winning it three times in a row, and to qualify for the FIFA World Clubs Championship in Japan, again for the third consecutive time. The Ahli head coach had recommended that the time off given to the players be at least 20 to 30 days, to be followed by a special training programme to prepare them for the coming season. He said the report did not interfere with his desire to take time off just like the players before starting the new domestic and regional seasons. Jose told reporters that he was on good terms with Ahli club officials and denied rumours which claimed there was a dispute with management. Last week, Jose signed a new one-year deal with Ahli worth a reported 55,000 euros a month.
