Imam Ashour, the Egyptian Al Ahly player, expressed his happiness over his team’s victory against Zamalek in the Egyptian football summit match, part of the ninth week of the Nile League 2025-2026 season.

Ashour missed the Al Ahly vs Zamalek match due to injury, and posted on Instagram a photo of the final score alongside a snapshot of Hussein El Shahat scoring Al Ahly’s equalizer in the 71st minute, commenting: “Al Ahly is strong with whoever is present.”

Hussein El Shahat shines and Al Ahly takes the lead

Hussein El Shahat excelled after coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute when his team was trailing 1-0. He scored the equalizer in the 71st minute, igniting his teammates’ enthusiasm, until Mahmoud Trezeguet scored the winning penalty in the 78th minute, securing all three points.

Al Ahly vs Zamalek match decided by penalty points

Hossam Abdel Meguid scored Zamalek’s opening goal from a penalty in the 32nd minute of the first half, a decision that was among the referee’s difficult calls. Hussein El Shahat equalized two minutes after coming on as a substitute, and Trezeguet scored the winning goal from a penalty in the 78th minute.

Refereeing controversy in the first half of the summit match

Spanish international referee Cesar Soto Grado sparked controversy among Egyptian football fans after making some difficult decisions in the first half of the summit match between Al Ahly and Zamalek in the ninth week of the Nile League.

Soto Grado awarded a penalty to Zamalek in the 30th minute after a harsh foul by Yassin Marai on Addy Al-Dabbagh. Abdullah Al-Saeed took the penalty, which was saved by Mohamed El-Shenawy, but the Spanish referee ordered a retake due to Al Ahly players entering the penalty area early. Hossam Abdel Meguid scored on the retake in the 32nd minute, putting Zamalek ahead.

In the 43rd minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Al Ahly after a foul by Abdullah Al-Saeed on Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, but after video review, he overturned the decision and canceled the penalty.

Validity of referee decisions in Al Ahly vs Zamalek match

Refereeing expert Mohamed Salah Abdel Fattah confirmed that Cesar Soto Grado’s decisions regarding the two penalties were correct.

Abdel Fattah told Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper: “Grado acted correctly regarding Abdullah Al-Saeed’s penalty, ordering a retake because Al Ahly players entered the penalty area before the kick.”

He added that canceling Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet’s penalty was correct, as the ball touched Abdullah Al-Saeed’s stomach, not his hand.

Al Ahly closes in on the top of the Egyptian league

Al Ahly raised its points to 15 in third place after 8 matches, while Zamalek remained top with 17 points after 9 matches.

Al Masry of Port Said is second with 15 points equal to Al Ahly, with Al Ahly having a game in hand. Wadi Degla is fourth with the same points, and Pyramids is fifth with one point less.