By Andrew Warshaw
July 25 – Egypt’s volatile political situation briefly gave way to football on Wednesday as Al Ahli drew 1-1 with arch-rivals Zamalek in the African Champions League. Domestic Egyptian football is currently suspended.
Football has frequently been used as expression of often violent protest in Egypt but such highly charged rifts were put aside as millions of fans flocked to watch the Ahli-Zamalek game in cafes and open-air screens.
The match was originally scheduled to have taken place in Alexandria on Sunday but was moved to the Red Sea resort of El Gouna as a precaution after 74 people were killed in last year’s Port Said stadium disaster following a match between Masry, the local club, and Ahly.
Wednesday’s fixture came on the same day Egypt’s military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for mass demonstrations against backers of former President Mohammed Morsi but there were no reports of serious incidents surrounding the game.
Zamalek took a surprise eighth-minute lead before holders Al-Ahli levelled from the spot as the two Cairo-based sides drew their opening Group A match. According to local reports, an agreement was struck before kickoff to allow spectators into the ground despite the game originally being scheduled to take place behind closed doors.
“The country is in chaos, perhaps football will distract the masses if only for 90 minutes,” Adel Abdel Ghafar, whose great-grandfather co-founded Al Ahli in 1907, was quoted as saying.
Egyptian authorities indefinitely postponed all domestic football following the downfall of president Morsi but allowed Al Ahli and Zamalek, who have a passionate following throughout the Arab world, to continue playing in the Champions League.
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