Title holders Ahli returned to the Egyptian League action with a thrashing 4-0 win over Ittihad Alexandria at the Cairo Stadium on Thursday. Mohamed Sedik scored his first goal for Ahli in the 10th minute before Osama Hosni doubled the lead six minutes before the break. Flavio scored twice in the second-half to hand Ahli a winning return as they had two consecutive league matches postponed due to their participation in the African champions League. The victory put Ahli in the fifth place of the league table with 10 points with two games in hand while Ittihad are fourth on 11 points. Hosni had the first chance of the game as early as the third minute when collected the ball on the edge of the area and fired a low drive just wide. Ahli were ahead seven minutes later when Angolan winger Gilberto, who returned to action after a long lay-off due to injury, curled a corner-kick that was misplaced by Ittihad keeper Youssef Taher only to bounce off Sedik's body into the back of the net. Striker Flavio almost doubled the lead in the 22nd minute when he received another set-piece from Gilberto with a close-range header that was cleared off the line by an Ittihad defender. Hosni wasted another chance in the 30th minute after he latched on to Flavio's back pass inside the area before sending a poor shot over the bar.
Ahli players celebrate But he made up for it in the 39th minute as he slot into the empty net after being set-up by the in-form Flavio, who added the third two minutes after the interval. He rounded Hossam Abdul-Monem before hitting a 25-m drive past helpless keeper Taher. The Angolan striker completed the rout in stoppage time after he connected with Hosni's cross to poke home between the keeper's legs. Elsewhere, Ahmed Hassan scored twice to help Ghazl Mahalla beat Suez Cement 2-0 and register their first home win of the season. The Egyptian League top scorer netted in the 82nd and 89th minutes to hand Mahalla a second successive victory. The win placed Mahalla in the second spot of the table with 12 points, four behind leaders Ismaili. In other matches, Masri drew1-1 with Harras Al Hodoud, Al-Gaish tied Tanta with the same result and Arab Contractors were held to a goalless draw by Petrojet.
