There are no problems as long as Ahli are on top of the Egyptian Premier League table, coach Hossam Al-Badri said after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Arab Contractors on Wednesday. The Red Devils' four-match winning run came to an end at the hands of Contractors, who took the lead after 12 minutes through a goal from striker Ehab Al-Masri. An own goal by Nigerian defender Shamusideen Tijani few minutes later gave Ahli the equalizer. Ahli struggled to create clear-cut chances afterwards, with their lone striker Emad Meteb unable to make a notable impact and attacking midfielders Mohamed Barakat, Mohamed Abou-Treika and Ahmed Shokri hardly feeding him. "The players could have played better but they were very nervous for no apparent reason," Al-Badri said on Ahli's official website after the game. "Our midfield was not compact in the first half, that's why Contractors were more dangerous. "We improved in the second half and had several goalscoring chances but we were unlucky." Ahli, in their first season under the guidance of Al-Badri following the departure of Portuguese Manuel Jose last summer, are still firm favorites to win a sixth consecutive league crown. They are on top of the table with 53 points, six ahead of second-placed and arch-rivals Zamalek who played a game more. "Losing two points is not a problem, especially that we are still on the top," Al-Badri added.
