Just like millions of Egyptian football fans, I was hopeful that the new season will bring something exciting, especially after an enticing summer that saw some good football. After a brief period of football ecstasy during the 2006 World Cup finals, I was given a reality check by the boring and monotonous Egyptian "premier" league. Opening weekend was like a slap on the face for many football fans who said "here we go again" after signs of any interesting action and chances of seeing champions Ahli seeing any competition this season evaporated into thin air. What never seizes to amaze is how Ahli manage to win even after a long integrated season and with a line-up composed mainly from second-tier players! Tanta, Ahli's first opponents who returned to top-flight after 13 years, showed no intention of staying in the first division. No one can deny that going against the title holders in your opening game is a tough task, but if you can't take advantage of Ahli when they are suffering from exhaustion and a depleted squad, when do you expect to do so? Things weren't any different for newcomers Asyut Petroleum who lost to Harras Al-Hodoud 2-0 and Tersana who lost to Suez Cement 2-1.
What never seizes to amaze is how Ahli manage to win even after a long integrated season and with a line-up composed mainly from second-tier players! Perhaps the only promoted team to register a "surprise" was Petrojet who beat Al-Gaish 3-2, but if you watch Petrojet's first goal, you will come to the conclusion that beating Al-Gaish could be by any means considered a surprise. The only "impressive" thing about opening weekend was Ismaili's 3-0 drubbing of arch-rivals Masri, then again, in Ismaili's case, things are like a merry-go-round. One season the Dervishes are on top, and another they are struggling to survive. Then again it's good that Ismaili start the season on a high note and grab the league summit on goal difference before the Ahli giant awakens. As for ENPPI, their 1-0 win over newly-promoted Olympic Alexandria did not live up to expectation. Then comes Zamalek, who many considered their 1-0 defeat to Ghazl Mahalla a stunning one, but then again, what is there to be surprised about. The club's administration is continuously in court, the coaching staff can't put a leash on their rogue players and can't reinforce the squad with decent players since there is no cash, how do you expect such a distracted team to win? The Egyptian league teams are still lacking spirit and motive, and until these two issues are solved, then we'd be better of watching the Congolese premier league.
