Al Ahly were held to a 1-1 draw by National Bank of Egypt in a high-tempo Egyptian Premier League Matchday 17 encounter played at Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday, 3 February 2026.
The result followed a competitive and open contest in which National Bank of Egypt made a strong early impression and Al Ahly were required to show patience and resilience to recover a point.
From the opening moments, the home side played with intent, pressing aggressively and committing numbers forward.
Their positive approach was rewarded in the 11th minute when Mostafa Shalaby found the net to give National Bank of Egypt the lead.
The goal reflected their sharper start and placed immediate pressure on Al Ahly, who were forced to chase the game.
National Bank’s defensive discipline was reinforced by goalkeeper Ahmed Ramadan, who played a decisive role during the first half.
In the 25th minute, he produced a crucial intervention, clearing the ball off the goal line to deny Al Ahly a goal that could have shifted momentum.
Al Ahly pushed for an equaliser before the interval but lacked precision in the final third.
Mahmoud Trezeguet missed a clear chance in the 40th minute, firing wide from inside the penalty area.
Despite increased attacking efforts, the defending champions were unable to break through before half-time, going into the break trailing 1-0.
The second half maintained the intensity of the opening period, with both teams looking to impose themselves.
National Bank nearly doubled their advantage in the 51st minute when Shalaby struck a powerful effort that narrowly missed the target.
Al Ahly dominated possession throughout the match, holding 72% of the ball compared to their opponents’ 28%, and registered 11 shots to National Bank’s two.
However, clear openings remained limited as the hosts stayed compact and organised.
In the 65th minute, Al Ahly’s coaching staff made several substitutions, introducing Mohamed Hani, Kamwesech and Aliou Dieng in place of Marwan Attia, Ahmed Nabil Koka and Ahmed Eid in an attempt to gain greater control in midfield and add urgency.
The pressure eventually told in the 80th minute when Trezeguet redeemed his earlier miss by scoring the equaliser.
The closing stages saw both sides search for a winner, but neither could find a decisive breakthrough.
The draw leaves Al Ahly third in the league standings with 27 points, while National Bank of Egypt remain ninth on 21 points.
