Cairo Derby
As a Cairo Derby ( Arabic ديربي القاهرة) is the name given to the match between the two clubs al Ahly and Zamalek SC based in the Egyptian capital Cairo . The importance of the two clubs - not just in Egypt but for all of African football - is underpinned above all by the fact that they have become the two most important African clubs of the 20th century from the African Football Confederation (CAF) were chosen. Al Ahly finished in first place, while his eternal rival Zamalek took second place. But Zamalek could not be happy about this second place, but complained about not having been elected to first place himself. The election result, which was seen as unjustified, and Zamalek's reactions to it, gave the already explosive rivalry further explosive.
Sporting supremacy
Both clubs are far ahead of their competitors in Egypt in terms of their sporting success. But there is another huge gap between them, which is nowhere more apparent than in the number of state championships they have won . Here record champion al Ahly (as of the end of the 2017/18 season) with 40 titles is virtually "unassailable" ahead of Zamalek with "only" 12 championship titles. Ahly is also the record holder in the domestic cup competition with 36 titles, followed by Zamalek with 26 successes. The first since 2001 existing Supercup al Ahly has ten times archrival Zamalek won three times. In the CAF Champions League , al Ahly is now ahead with eight titles. Local rival Zamalek follows in second place with 5 wins. Six of Ahly's successes date back to the 21st century, while Zamalek was the record winner with four titles at the end of the 20th century. This fact, by the way, feeds the Zamalek SC's protest that it was not elected to the African team of the 20th century (see above).
Al Ahly celebrated his greatest success so far on the world football stage when he took part in the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup , after losing 2-1 in the semi-finals to eventual tournament winners SC Internacional and a 2-1 win against the Mexican Club América - took third place.
Sociological Aspects
Al Ahly is the older of the two rivals and was founded in 1907. At a time when Egypt was part of the British Empire , al Ahly (dt. National ) was also the first association that was led by Egyptians . Thus from the beginning it became a symbol of nationalism against the foreign occupying power . In contrast, Zamalek SC, founded in 1911, was considered cosmopolitan from the start and was run by a Belgian in its early days .
But alongside the political differences, it was mainly sociological aspects that left their mark on this rivalry. Because while al Ahly has always been perceived as a people's association, Zamalek has been considered a representative of the higher classes for decades.
Fans
In the past, hardcore fans on both sides often fought violent clashes. But 2011 has lessened the aggression on both sides. At that time, the ultras of both clubs besieged Tahrir Square in Cairo and were instrumental in the resignation of President Husni Mubarak , which the demonstrators called for .
All matches for the Egyptian football championship
The following table lists all the games in the Egyptian Premier League in which the two teams met. All results are presented in chronological order and always from the perspective of al Ahly.
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1 No championship was held this season; 1951/52 because of the intensive preparation of the Egyptian national team for the Olympic football tournament in 1952 , 2012/13 as a result of the turmoil of the revolution in 2011 .
2 There was only one derby this season.
3 There was no derby this season because the championship was played in two groups, the two rivals did not belong to the same group and (at least) one of them did not qualify for the final or the final tournament.
4 In the 1965/66 season, al Ahly's team left the field in protest immediately after conceding the second goal and never returned. The result of 0: 2 in favor of Zamalek was retained.
5 In the 1971/72 season, the championship was canceled after the derby could not be played to the end due to crowd riots. The result of 1: 2 in favor of Zamalek was retained.
6 In the 1973/74 season the championship was terminated prematurely because of the Yom Kippur War .
7 In the 1995/96 season, immediately after conceding the second goal, Zamalek's team left the field in protest and never returned. The result of 2-0 in favor of al Ahly was retained.
8 In the 1998/99 season, Zamalek's team left the field after just four minutes after their player Ayman Abdel Aziz had been sent off. At that point in time no goals had been scored. The game was rated 2-0 in favor of al Ahly.
9 The 2011/12 championship was canceled prematurely because of the stadium riots in Port Said .
Derby statistics in the national league
Of the 116 derbies in the Egyptian Premier League so far , 112 were ended regularly (as of the end of the 2017/18 season). Two games were canceled when the score was 2-0 (for Zamalek on March 18, 1966, for al Ahly on June 25, 1996) after the opponent had left the field in protest and the result of the canceled score was included in the rating. A game was canceled on December 24, 1971 because of spectator riots (at a score of 2: 1 for Zamalek) and this result is also included in the rating. The last game, which was canceled on April 9, 1999 after four minutes when the score was 0-0, was scored 2-0 for al Ahly because Zamalek had left the field illegally. In order to take into account the total of four game abandons, only the completed games are taken into account in the first line of the following statistics, while all derbies are included in the bottom line with their corresponding rating.
| status | Games | Wins Ahly |
draw | Wins Zamalek |
Goal difference AHLY: ZAMA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ended regularly | 112 | 41 | 47 | 24 | 140: 96 |
| all games | 116 | 43 | 47 | 26th | 145: 100 |
Records
The highest derby win in the league recorded al Ahly on May 16, 2002 with a 6-1 over Zamalek. The four-time goalscorer in this triumph was Khaled Bebo , who scored five derby goals for Ahly. Only El-Sayed Ateya “Toto” and Mohamed Abo Treka achieved more derby goals for Ahly in the national league , each with seven successes. The most successful shooters for Zamalek were Alaa El-Hamouly and Khalil Said Quadry, who each scored five goals. The most successful derby scorer in the national league is Hossam Hassan , who played for both rivals and scored a total of nine derby goals; five of them for Ahly and four for Zamalek. Zamalek's highest win in an official derby was dated June 2, 1944 and was a 6-0 win in the Egyptian Cup final of the previous 1942/43 season.
Web links
- All about Zamalek versus Ahly Derby by Dr. Tarek Ahmed Said (accessed October 24, 2018)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Egypt's Al Ahli named African club of century (English; article from December 22, 2000)
- ↑ Hatem Maher (Ahram): Preview: Zamalek reignite 'club of century' controversy with rivals Ahly (English; article from February 28, 2014)
- ↑ Oliver McManus: Rivals: al Ahly vs Zamalek The Red Devils clash with the White Knight (English; article from May 10, 2016)
- ↑ Patrick Kingsley ( The Guardian ): Death of Zamalek fans in riot stirs political conspiracies in Egypt (English; article from February 13, 2015)
- ↑ Amr Shaheen: Al Ahly humiliate Zamalek 6-1 (English; article from May 17, 2002)