El Gouna took a big step toward staying in the Egyptian Premier League after grinding out a 1-0 win over Enppi on Saturday at the Petrosport Stadium.
Ahmed Shousha netted the only goal of the game from the penalty spot just before halftime, handing El Gouna a vital three points in the relegation group’s fourth round.
The result pushes Alaa Abdel Aal’s side to 27 points, lifting them to second place in the group and within touching distance of securing their league status.
But the match didn’t end without drama. Referee Mahmoud Desouki came under fire from Enppi players and staff for denying two penalty claims, one of which came in the dying minutes following a suspected handball in the box.
The tension boiled over as Hamza El-Gamal’s Enppi were left frustrated, rooted to the bottom of the group with 18 points.
With just five matches remaining, Enppi must now find a way to turn their season around quickly or risk slipping out of Egypt’s top flight.
