Ahly seek to extend gap over rivals Zamalek

Ahly, the only Egyptian Premier League team yet to taste defeat, will be looking to move four points clear of traditional rivals Zamalek when they meet struggling outfit Arab Contractors on Saturday. Zamalek slumped to a sudden 2-1 defeat by ENPPI on Friday to miss out on the chance of leapfrogging second-placed Ahly and surprise leaders Haras El-Hodoud in an exciting three-way tie at the top. Ahly will be keen to overcome Contractors and move further away from Zamalek as they chase an eighth consecutive league crown. They will miss veteran defender Wael Gomaa through suspension but are boosted by the return from injury of central defender Mohamed Naguib, who has been on the sidelines for around a month. Contractors are still failing to live up to expectations despite boasting some promising players, including Egypt’s U-23 attacking midfielder Mohamed Salah. They lie 16th in the 19-team table with 10 points from 14 games. A win for Ahly will move them to the summit, given that surprise package El-Hodoud will not play until Tuesday. The army club were supposed to face Ittihad of Alexandria on Saturday but the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) abruptly postponed the game, citing security reasons without elaborating further. El-Hodoud, who made few squad changes last summer, made a stunning start to the season, winning 11 out of their first 13 league games. They are inspired by some impressive displays from 31-year-old forward Ahmed Eid, who is consistently linked with a move to Zamalek. The two-time Egypt Cup winners El-Hodoud have 34 points, one ahead of Ahly.