Al Ahly vs. Pyramids: Youth Clash Sparks a Controversy in Nasr City
20 October 2025
What happened in Nasr City
In the latest hours, a sharp crisis unfolded at Al Ahly’s headquarters in Nasr City after Pyramids’ Under-17 team withdrew from their Republic Championship match due to a penalty call in the second minute.
A KOOORA source said the referee awarded a penalty to Al Ahly in the second minute. Pyramids players and staff protested strongly, and Islam Shokry, head of Pyramids’ youth sector, entered the confrontation in a manner deemed improper and was shown a red card.
Shokry refused to leave the pitch and even demanded that Walid Suleiman, Al Ahly’s head of the youth sector, also exit, but the referee insisted Suleiman hadn’t acted to warrant removal.
The referee waited about thirty minutes before Shokry finally exited, and when he did not, the match was cancelled.
Pyramids issued a fiery statement detailing the incident and expressing disappointment with decisions that affected a youth clash between two major clubs.
What followed and what it means for youth football
The match’s officiating team planned to file a report with the Egyptian Football Association to determine the proper course of action, while Al Ahly’s side argued that penalties and ejective measures should follow established procedures rather than escalate into field disruption.
Islam Shokry later spoke to his club’s media center, explaining that the usual sector leadership is present near the technical setups during these matches and that the second-minute decision did not merit a penalty, prompting a dispute that spiraled into confrontation.
He described that the match was halted after the dispute and the insistence by officials that the situation needed resolution before any continuation, noting that the decision to cancel rested with the officials on the field rather than with a head of the youth sector alone.
Eyewitnesses from the Ahly·youth administration stressed that the incident was not about a single individual but about a clash of protocols and the perception of fairness in youth competitions, with tensions amplified by the presence of club officials and media recording devices.
The article also recalls that today’s matchup was the second consecutive league meeting between the two clubs in Republic youth competition, following yesterday’s 2005 cohort clash where Al Ahly’s youth team beat Pyramids 4-3 in a high-scoring affair.
In summary, the episode underscores lingering questions about how youth games are managed, the balance of authority on the field, and the role of club leadership in managing disputes without inflaming tensions among players and fans alike.
Two light-hearted thoughts to end on a smile: If youth matches come with a referee’s whistle and a video replay, maybe we should charge admission just for the drama. And remember, in football as in life, the only thing more relentless than a referee’s whistle is a fan’s search for a conspiracy that explains a goal-free second half."
Punchline 1: If penalties are a way to decide destinies, I guess my coffee’s getting a penalty for missing the morning dose of sanity. Punchline 2: Coaches argue, players argue, even the clock argues—at this rate, the only thing that won’t be canceled is the end of the season… probably.
