Zamalek failed to build on their win over ENPPI to lose 2-1 at Harras Hodoud and equal their worst record of nine Egyptian Premier League defeats in one season. Hodoud went to the locker room two up, thanks to goals from strike duo Ahmed Abdul-Ghani and Abdul-Hamid Bassiouni. Sherif Ashraf, who came on as a second-half substitute, pulled one back with 13 minutes remaining but the hosts held onto their lead to claim all three points. Zamalek, who ended a six-match winless streak after beating ENPPI 1-0 last week, remained ninth on 27 points, seven above the relegation zone. The Cairo giants' ninth league defeat this season put them on the brink of beating their last season's negative record, which was their worst in history. Egyptian Cup winners Hodoud, who will play in next season's CAF Confederation Cup, moved into fourth place on 36 points as they continue their impressive form under manager Tarek Al-Ashri. Lone Striker Zamalek coach Michel Decastel deployed Abdul-Halim Ali as a lone striker. The veteran frontman was isolated as Zamalek's five-man midfield failed to feed him despite the team's domination in terms of possession. Hodoud were the effective party and managed to break the deadlock after just five minutes. Abdul-Ghani curled a free-kick over the wall and into the corner of the net past the hapless Abdul-Wahed Al-Sayed. Zamalek defender Amr Al-Safti thought he had equalized shortly afterwards after Hodoud keeper Mathurin Kameni spilled a tame cross into his path, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
Al-Sayed conceded twice The referee believed that defender Hani Saied, who tried to get on the end of the cross before it went into Kameni's hands while being in an offside position, intervened in the build-up. Zamalek still had the better of possession but rarely threatened Kameni as the efficient Hodoud doubled their advantage on 27 minutes. Talented midfielder Abdul-Salam Nagah whipped in a pinpoint cross from the right and Bassiouni rose above the static Amr Adel to head home. Fruitful Substitutions After watching his side fail to trouble Hodoud defense, Decastel introduced another striker in Ashraf to support Ali. The substitution bore fruit as Zamalek finally found a way through Hodoud's rearguard but wasted a couple of goalscoring opportunities. Ashraf astonishingly headed wide with the goal at his mercy while Saied's close-range shot was palmed by Kameni. Diminutive right-back Hazem Emam was also introduced and he made an immediate impact, setting up Ashraf for Zamalek's only goal in the 77th minute. He skipped past a Hodoud defender on the right flank before sending a superb cross that evaded Kameni and found Ashraf, who headed into an empty net. Zamalek kept pushing forward but Hodoud thwarted their efforts to grab a precious win. Watch the match's goals
