CAIRO: Zamalek drew 1-1 with Arab Contractors in the Egyptian Premier League game played in Cairo on Wednesday. Ahmed Zahran stunned Zamalek with a 30th-minute opener before Mahmoud Fathalla s header leveled the score on 45 minutes. Zamalek remain seventh in the table with 34 points, while Contractors are eleventh with 29. The Cairo giants started the game brightly and their first chance came when Sabri Rahil fired a powerful shot which was successfully saved by Mohamed Al-Aqabawi. On 17 minutes, Contractors hit back through Reda Al-Weeshi, who was allowed to advance past the Zamalek defense and place a shot in Abdel-Wahed Al-Sayed s hands. Contractors made up for Al-Weeshi s chance three minutes later through Zahran. The former Zamalek man met a poor clearance from the defense with a left-footed volley that went straight past Al-Sayed. Sherif Ashraf could have scored when Hazem Emam s cross was parried in his path by Al-Aqabawi, but a brave tackle from Hamada Youssef saved Contractors from conceding. The White Knights leveled when Fathalla jumped to meet Rahil s right-winger corner and placed a header past the advancing Akabawi. In the second half, Mahmdoud "Shikabala Abdel-Razeq, was introduced for the first time since the unfortunate death of his mother by replacing Ashraf. The playmaker s presence didn t help Zamalek as Abdel-Halim Ali played as a lone striker which gave Contractors defense all the space they need. However, it was Contractors who could have scored a late winner as Al-Sayed brilliantly kept Al-Weeshi s header out before Zamalek s defense cleared off the line.
