Ahli had the upper hand in the majority of Friday's Cairo derby, coach Hossam Al-Badri said after his side snatched a last-gasp 3-3 draw in a thrilling clash. Zamalek surrendered their lead three times to allow Egyptian Premier League leaders Ahli, who need to get just one point from their remaining four games to win a sixth consecutive title, to secure a share of spoils. Mercurial midfielder Mohamed Barakat scored in the second minute of stoppage time to break Zamalek hearts. "The efforts of my players tonight should be appreciated. They gave it their all and were determined to win," Al-Badri said after the game. "We were the better team in the majority of the first and second halves. Anyway, the result was satisfactory for both sides." Ahli's defensive fragilities almost gave Zamalek their first derby victory since May 2007. Right-back Ahmed Ali, already under fire for a number of high-profile errors, was powerless against a wave of Zamalek attacks. Zamalek forwards repeatedly skipped past him to whip in crosses from the left. "We have shortage of options in the right back position. Ali is a good player but he was not at his best today," Al-Badri added.
