Zamalek took the three points in the Egyptian Premier League, beating Abou Qoum Semad 2-0 on Tuesday. The scoreline was not a surprise, but it did not come without a little anxiety. And here's the thing: the hosts did not dominate the game, not in the way they might have expected after winning their last two matches. They simply managed the moments that mattered.
Mohamed Ismail opened the scoring in the seventeenth minute, a moment that felt earned rather than gifted. The visitors were not quiet, but they were not dangerous either. By then, things had settled into a rhythm that suited the home side. It was not a display of control, but it was a display of patience.
The first half ended level at 1-0, a result that reflected the balance of the contest. To be fair, Abou Qoum Semad had more possession, but they had nothing to show for it. Their shots lacked precision, and their attacks were easily contained. Zamalek's goalkeeper had four saves to make, but none of them were tests of quality.
The second half brought the same pattern. Ahmed Sherif added a second goal in the eighty-seventh minute, a late finish that confirmed the result. The visitors had chances, but they were not the kind that decide matches. They created one big chance, and it was not enough.
The statistics tell a story of a game that was not as one-sided as the score suggests. Abou Qoum Semad had 53% possession and more attacks, but Zamalek were more efficient. The hosts had five shots on target, while the visitors had three. Expected goals were close, 0.92 to 0.49, a sign that the visitors were not entirely devoid of ideas.
Zamalek now sit third in the table, with seven points from three games. They have not lost, and they have extended their unbeaten run. For Abou Qoum Semad, it is another defeat. They have won once and lost twice, and the gap at the bottom of the table is growing.
