AFTER setting a world record by winning 17 consecutive league matches, Ahli's victorious streak came to a halt on Friday, held to a 0-0 draw with Misri of Port Said in Cairo. Ahli had broken the record set by Celtic of Scotland in 1965 and Al-Faisali of Jordan last year but could not extend it thanks to brilliant goaltending by netminder Nader El-Sayed plus the ineptness of their own forwards. On a dismal Ahli day, there was also tragedy after a fervent Ahli fan was reported to have died while watching the game at a café in the Cairene district of Shubra. The 40-year-old fan collapsed when Ahli striker Ahmed Bilal wasted his team's last and easiest chance to score. The viewer was pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital, apparently of a heart attack. The Red Devils are still on top of the league table with 52 points, 20 ahead of their closest rivals Ismaili. They need only nine points from their remaining eight games to secure the title for the 30th time in their history. In other matches, Ismaili edged Baladiyet Al-Mehalla 1-0; Zamalek lost 1-0 to the Coastal Guards; Ghazl Al-Mehalla beat Enppi 1-0; Ittihad of Alexandria defeated Cement Suez 1-0; Tersana were held to a goalless draw with Mansoura; and the Army beat Cement Assuit 2-0.
