Other Leagues
Egypt’s League in turmoil as Ahly withdraw from the Cairo derby
In a dramatic twist on Tuesday, the eagerly awaited Egyptian Premier League derby between Zamalek and Ahly was cancelled following escalating disputes over match officials.
The defending champions had threatened to withdraw from the league after the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) dismissed their repeated requests for a postponement and the appointment of foreign referees.
“We insist on respecting the Egyptian Pro League (EPL) decisions and reiterate our demand to play tonight’s game with foreign officials. If our demands are not met, Ahly will not continue in the league,” the club’s board said in a statement.
Sticking to their stance, Ahly failed to show up at Cairo Stadium, prompting referee Mahmoud Bassiouny to call off the match 15 minutes after the scheduled kickoff at 9:30 p.m. local time.
The dispute had been brewing for days, with Ahly expressing strong dissatisfaction over recent refereeing performances, alleging bias in previous matches.
The controversy intensified after the EFA assigned a local officiating crew on Monday night, despite prior assurances to the EPL that foreign referees would be used for key fixtures during the league’s final phase.
Zamalek, on the other hand, confirmed their readiness to play.
The EFA defended its decision, citing a lack of time to secure foreign officials after the match was scheduled on 5 March.
The playoffs draw, held on Wednesday, had set up an early showdown between the two Cairo giants in the first round.
The game carried significant weight in the title race. Ahly, aiming for a third consecutive championship, trail league leaders Pyramids FC, who have 42 points—three more than Ahly. Zamalek sit in third place with 32 points.
According to EPL regulations adopted this season, any team that withdraws from a match is considered to have forfeited and will be deducted three points. If a team withdraws from the competition after it has started, it faces relegation to the lower division and a two-season ban from the Premier League, along with financial penalties.
-Ahram
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A goal scored under soccer’s experimental “daylight” offside rule was allowed for the first time in a professional match on Saturday, with Pacific FC forward Alejandro Diaz on target in a 2-2 draw with Halifax Wanderers in the Canadian Premier League.
The strike would have been ruled out under the standard International Football Association Board Laws of the Game, but stood under the CPL’s ongoing trial conducted in cooperation with FIFA.
The Canadian league is testing the rule this season as part of efforts to reduce marginal offside decisions and encourage attacking play.
Under the system, an attacker is only deemed offside if there is clear “daylight” between them and the second-last defender, rather than being penalised for narrowly being ahead.
The concept, long advocated by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his role as FIFA’s head of global football development, is being assessed in Canada as a potential change to the offside law.
Diaz’s goal marked the first in-game application of the interpretation, which resulted directly in a goal, offering a glimpse of how the rule could alter attacking patterns and defensive positioning.
The CPL, which launched the trial earlier this month, has provided FIFA with a professional testing ground for the proposal as soccer’s world governing body evaluates whether to expand its use more broadly.
Reuters
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Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy was handed a four-match ban after striking a referee on the head following a 1-1 draw with Ceramica Cleopatra, the Egyptian Pro League said on Thursday.
The Egypt international, who was on the bench for Tuesday’s game, was incensed after Al-Ahly’s appeal for a penalty following a handball in stoppage time was denied.
“He handed a four‑match ban and fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($942) for assaulting the referee by pushing or pulling (use of the hand without violence),” the league said in a statement.
The ban means El-Shenawy, who is expected to be Egypt’s starting goalkeeper at the World Cup in North America, will be sidelined until the final week of the league play-offs.
Al-Ahly are third on 41 points, five points behind leaders Zamalek.
-Reuters
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Galatasaray have strengthened their squad with another Napoli player, announcing on Friday that Dutch winger Noa Lang has joined the Turkish champions on loan for the remainder of the season, linking up with former Napoli player, Victor Osimhen in Istanbul.
The Super Lig giants confirmed that they have reached an agreement with Napoli for the temporary transfer of the 15-cap Netherlands international, with the deal including a non-mandatory purchase option that Galatasaray may activate at the end of the season.
Under the terms of the agreement, Galatasaray will pay €2 million as a loan fee to Napoli, while Lang will earn a seasonal salary of €1.75 million, according to a statement released by the club.
Lang joined Napoli last year from PSV Eindhoven but struggled to fully establish himself in Italy. He featured in 27 matches across all competitions, scoring once during his time with the Serie A side.
His arrival adds attacking depth to Galatasaray and further strengthens the Napoli connection at the club, with Osimhen already a central figure in their squad as they continue to push for domestic success and progress in European competition.
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