Ahli and Zamalek played out a goalless draw for the second successive Cairo derby on Tuesday, with their stars failing to shine in a somewhat dour affair. An injury-hit Ahli side with some youngsters failed to impress as influential midfielder Ahmed Hassan, who shouldered attacking responsibilities in the absence of several key players, hardly offered a helping hand. On the other hand, the crisis-hit Zamalek relied on lone striker Mido to deliver but he was nowhere near his best. The central defenders had the upper hand at either end to prevent both teams from finding the net at Cairo Stadium. FilGoal.com assessed Ahli and Zamalek players on a scale of 1 to 10. Ahli Ahmed Adel (7): the goalkeeper was rarely tested, but did not commit any fatal mistakes when handling crosses in aerial contests. Ahmed Ali (5): the regular right-back put in an assuring display at the back but did not make any attacking efforts and earned a yellow card, prompting coach Hossam Al-Badri to replace him with striker Mohamed Talaat before the break. Sayed Moawad (5): the Egypt left-back looked jaded, failing to hit top form until being substituted with eight minutes remaining. Sherif Abdul-Fadil (7): he successfully kept Zamalek forwards at bay, but an uncommon lapse of concentration helped Mido break clear of him and go one-on-one with the keeper early in the game. Wael Gomaa (9): the combative defender was arguably man of the match, thwarting many Zamalek attempts and annoying their forwards with physical yet clean interceptions. Hossam Ashour (7.5): the defensive midfielder's presence once again proved vital as he perfectly stole possession on the half-way line on many occasions.
Gomaa (L): a rock-solid defender Ahmed Fathi (7): the versatile player, who partnered Ashour in the heart of midfield, was equally good with timely tackles. Abdullah Farouk (6): the promising man, who started in midfield before switching to right-back, was not inspiring but did not make any notable errors. Ahmed Shokri (6): the talented winger impressed in recent games, but his display was not that good tonight. His passes could have been more accurate. Ahmed Hassan (5.5): the Egypt skipper failed to replicate the form that saw him score seven goals so far this season. He couldn't break down Zamalek's defense with his usual neat passes and also squandered a golden opportunity in the second half. Mohamed Fadl (3): the towering striker, who played on his own upfront, was largely disappointing as he failed to make any impact before making way for Ahmed Belal early in the second half. Substitutes: Ahmed Belal (5): the former Egypt striker, who rarely plays, did not repay Al-Badri's faith when he was introduced in the second half. A clever dummy was his only contribution. Mohamed Talaat (4): a substitute striker who was also given the chance to impress when he came on in the first half, Talaat wasted a goalscoring opportunity when it looked easy to score. He couldn't many any additional efforts. Gilberto (not tested): the Angolan winger did not have time to make the difference after being introduced eight minutes from time. Zamalek Abdul-Wahed Al-Sayed (8): the evergreen goalkeeper blocked some decent chances and managed to play through the pain barrier after sustaining an injury in the second half. Ahmed Ghanem (6): the pacey right-back was strangely good in defense, but did not make his usual darting runs upfront.
Shikabala: not impressive Mohamed Abdul-Shafi (5): the left back failed to send in any crosses and gave away too many passes. Mahmoud Fathallah (8): the central defender, who recently returned from a lengthy injury layoff, produced a superb display. Apart from winning the majority of aerial challenges, his positioning inside the area was so good. Amr Al-Safti (not tested): he started the game but was substituted after 26 minutes after picking up an injury. Hassan Mostafa (7): the defensive midfielder notably improved after being heavily criticized for failing to perform well since his summer arrival. Mostafa repeatedly robbed his former teammates in midfield. Ibrahim Salah (6): the holding midfielder was better than the previous two games as he improved the passing aspect of his game. Ahmed Magdi (5): his overall display was not bad, but he did not do anything exceptional as a left-sided midfielder. Hazem Emam (6): the lively right winger started brightly and released Mido with a deft through pass in the first half but his form faded towards the end. Shikabala (4): the talented winger failed to live up to expectations. The ball was consistently taken away from him when he tried to make his normal tricks. Mido (6): his physical presence was very good. He also assisted his teammates in defense but was to blame for spurning two clear-cut chances in each half. Substitutes: Ibrahim Ayew (5): the Ghanaian midfielder replaced the injured Al-Safti but was quiet on the pitch. Remi Adiko (6): the energetic Ivorian midfielder, who was introduced in the second half, whipped in a perfect cross for the unmarked Mido few minutes before the end.
