The biggest match of the season is looming and typically it is Egypt's top duo Ahli and Zamalek battling it out for the title once again. Although three points might not be enough for Zamalek in the end while Ahli can still afford a draw, the exceptional rivalry makes it an independent triumph for the winner no matter what. FilGoal.com reviews the Egyptian Clasico during the second half of the season over the past decade, which as usual, witnessed a Red or White dominance on the domestic title. 2000-2001: Hossam Hassan haunts Ahli It was a season that saw Zamalek end their arch-rivals' six-year stranglehold on the Egyptian Premier League, with the help of one of the legends of the Red Devils. A 3-1 victory included an emphatic brace for current Zamalek boss Hossam Hassan, who decided to end his 22-year spell with Ahli and lead the Whites to glory. 2001-2002: The historic 6-1 not enough ! The 17th of May 2002 is a memorable date in Egyptian football history, a day that will always be remembered by Ahli patrons, thanks to their team's thumping 6-1 victory. It was Manuel Jose's first season in Egypt but despite the historic derby win and a Champions League trophy, Ahli missed out on the league title at the hands of a magnificent Ismaili side inspired by the likes of Mohamed Barakat, Islam Al-Shater and Sayed Moawad. 2002-2003: Hossam again…can they repeat it? This is a season Zamalek fans would love to see their team replicate, given the fact that the Whites were almost in the exact same dilemma they're stuck in at the moment. With five points adrift and four weeks to go, Zamalek had no option but to win the Cairo derby and hope for an unexpected stumble to their bitter rivals. The first step was completed brilliantly as Zamalek strolled to a 3-1 victory that once again included Hassan's name on the scoresheet. The gap was closed to two points but Ahli still looked on course to clinch the title, only to suffer a shock defeat to newly-promoted ENPPI on the final day of the season coupled by a 1-0 victory for Zamalek over Ismaili. 2003-2004: Decisive victory, but a warning from number 22 Jose returned for a second spell on the Ahli bench, but it was once again a dominant campaign for Zamalek, who wrapped up their 11th league title with a decisive 2-1 over the Reds. Goals from Beshir Al-Tabie and Abdul-Halim Ali lifted Carlos Cabral's side, but Ahli's consolation was that splendid strike from their new number 22 Mohamed Abou-Treika. From that point, it was only Ahli, Jose and Treika. Abou-Treika's wonder goal 2004-2005: Massive victory for the Reds The 2004-2005 season was a walk in the park for Jose's men, who amassed a record 74 points from 26 games to end the campaign some 38 points ahead of holders Zamalek, who shockingly finished sixth. Ahli wrapped up two massive victories in this season's derby double-header, inspired by four goals from Abou-Treika in the 4-2 and 3-0 routs. 2005-2006: 2-0…Game Over Another magnificent season saw Ahli end the campaign with no defeat, beating their arch-rivals 2-0 in May to wrap up a second straight title. Again, Abou-Treika was on the scoresheet adding to Emad Meteb's opener to make it two-nil inside the first 10 minutes. 2006-2007: A consolation win As Ahli sealed the title three weeks before the end, Jose decided to give his reserves some playing time for the rest of the campaign, offering Zamalek something to cheer about. The second-string Ahli side expectedly lost 2-0 to Henri Michel's Zamalek, courtesy of goals from Tamer Abdul-Hamid and Gamal Hamza. 2007-2008: 20-point gap A 2-0 victory for Ahli ten weeks before the end virtually shattered Zamalek's hopes of providing any threat as the mighty Reds opened up a 20-point gap with their closest rivals. Ahmed Fathi and Meteb sealed the victory at the Military Academy. 2008-2009: A crucial draw in Ismaili's favor While the out-of-sorts Zamalek were too depleted to compete with their arch-rivals, the two-horse race involved Ismaili, yet the Whites still had a role to play. A goalless draw meant two points were dropped by Ahli in their race against the unstoppable Ismaili four weeks before the end, but Jose's men eventually retained their title by edging the Dervishes in a playoff match. 2009-2010: Barakat stunner A thrilling 3-2 victory for Zamalek would have closed the gap with Hossam Al-Badri's Ahli and gave the Whites a long-awaited victory in Hossam Hassan's first season in charge. However, a moment of brilliance from Mohamed Barakat stunned Hassan's men in the dying seconds of the game to snatch the draw for Ahli and virtually seal a sixth-straight title by flying nine points clear with three weeks to go.
