Zamalek have edged closer to the football league lead. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab looks at the title chase and the week's results With nine games left, Zamalek are just three points behind league leaders Ahli, provided they win their game in hand. Helping matters for Zamalek was by far the week's most surprising result, a goalless draw between Ahli and fellow Cairo club, the Arab Contractors. Ahli, winner of a record 12 straight games this season, simply could not get a grip on the match and were out of focus throughout most of the encounter. The absence of top goal getter Ahmed Belal, who flew to Germany to have tests performed on his right foot, has stalled Ahli's offence. Mohamed Farouk and Mohamed Fadl have not been useful substitutes during Belal's absence which has spanned three games. But against the Contractors, Ahli's Dutch coach, Joe Bonfrere, insisted on depending on just one striker, Fadl. "None of the players were performing well and they are to blame for the loss," Bonfrere fumed after the game. "They didn't play attacking ball. They got only two corner kicks and those came in the last 15 minutes." Ahli, who meet Goldi today, are still the team to beat though, with 47 points. The Contractors have 18. Ahli's draw came at an awkward moment for the club after Zamalek beat bottom of the table Aswan 3-0 handily in Aswan. Walid Abdel-Latif stepped onto the field in the second half to score the opener, and three minutes later doubled his club's lead. It was an excellent return for the striker after missing out on almost two months of fixtures following the African Champions League. Tarek El-Said added the third goal in the 88th minute. The win also helped Zamalek's Brazilian coach as he renegotiates his contract. Capral is demanding a 100 per cent increase in his monthly salary following Zamalek's sensational streak of success stories in the African arena. But he still faces strong criticism for continuing to bench the popular twins, Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan. Reigning champions Ismaili took over sole possession of third place, beating surprise outfit Enpi 2-1 in Cairo. Mohamed Mohsen Abu-Greisha and Sayed Moawad struck twice in either half. Enpi managed a consolation goal through Hassan Awaad. Ismaili will probably be unable to repeat as champions as they are 13 points behind Ahli. Enpi and the Coast Guards are both in fourth place with 27 points. Misri beat Baladeyet Al-Mehalla 2-0 for three valuable away points. The opening goal came courtesy of team veteran Ibrahim El-Misri and youngster Hani Kamel doubled the lead before the end of the half. The result left Misri lying comfortably in sixth place with 26 points behind both the Coast Guards and Enpi. Baladeya, who have experienced a sudden drop in form, are stuck on 21 points after several home defeats. Anwar Salama's Tersana thrashed Alexandria's Ittihad 3-0. Tersana needed little time to score the first against an ailing Ittihad, which lost to Ahli by an identical score the week before, when Hossam Mabrouk scored in the 10th minute. Ittihad attempted a comeback with German coach Reiner Tsoebel juggling his substitutions. But Mabrouk struck again, and Mohamed Abu-Treika put the game out of Ittihad's reach, netting his ninth goal of the year. Tersana now have 24 points while Ittihad are in danger of dropping to the second division by collecting only nine points. Ahmed Salem, coming in as a substitute, scored the lone goal of the game as Mansoura edged Goldi. Mansoura played with 10 men after Hisham Saeed was sent off. Former Zamalek and Ahli coaches Helmi Tolan and Mokhtar Mokhtar battled to a draw between the Coast Guards and Ghazl Al- Mehalla. The two Mehalla clubs have the same number of points, separated only by goal difference. The Coast Guards wasted a chance to jump to fourth place and remained in fifth, tied with points with Enpi but ahead on goal difference.
