Red Cards, Green Lights: Al Ahly Seizes the Top in a Dramatic Cairo Derby
22 October 2025
Match recap
Al Ahly continued its winning run in the Egyptian Premier League, beating visitors Al Ittihad Alexandria 2-1 on Wednesday at Cairo Stadium in Matchday 11.
The hosts opened the scoring through Moroccan Ashraf Ben Cherki in the 15th minute after a superb assist from Ahmed Mostafa "Zizo", who then converted the second goal in the 62nd minute from a penalty.
For Al Ittihad, Fady Farid struck in the 69th minute from a brilliant pass by Nigerian Abu Bakr Liadi.
This was Al Ahly’s first domestic game under their new coach Jes Thorup, following a 2-0 victory over Eagle Nwar of Burundi in the CAF Champions League play-off tie.
Al Ahly’s points tally rose to 21, placing them top of the Egyptian Premier League, while Al Ittihad sat on 8 points, languishing in 17th place in the standings.
Controversy punctuated the contest as referee Mustafa Al-Shahdi showed red cards to Al Ahly’s Ahmed Nabil "Coca" in the 78th minute and to Al Ittihad’s Karim Deeb in the 84th.
First half: dominance and chances
The opening period saw Al Ahly control the midfield as Al Ittihad sat deeper, with Zizo’s early volley repelled by the opponent’s defense and a Belated chance soon after.
Tricky runs from Zizo created opportunities, but the visitors’ defense held firm until Ben Cherki’s strike put the hosts ahead in the 15th minute, a finish from close range after a precise pass from Zizo.
Al Ahly kept pressing for a second, while Al Ittihad looked to respond through counter-attacks, but the goalie and backline managed to keep their sheet intact as the first half concluded with the Red Devils leading.
Second half: penalty, cards, and late drama
Early in the second half, Al Ahly almost doubled their advantage but saw a shot from Zizo pushed away by the goalkeeper. The tempo intensified as Al Ittihad sought parity and were awarded a penalty after a VAR review, converted by Zizo in the 62nd minute to make it 2-0.
Al Ittihad pushed forward, pressing for more, and created some half-chances in and around the box before Fady Farid pulled one back in the 69th minute with a clinical finish.
Towards the end, the sending-off of Coca and later Deeb shifted momentum and added tension to the match. Al Ahly defended resolutely and saw out the closing minutes to secure the vital three points and maintain their advantage at the top.
In a match marked by discipline issues and furious pace, both sides showed quality, but Al Ahly’s early goal and late game management made the difference as the full-time whistle confirmed a 2-1 victory for the home side.
