Zamalek demand answers after derby defeat as refereeing row escalates

Zamalek have given the Egyptian Football Association 48 hours to respond to their complaint over alleged serious refereeing errors in their 2-0 defeat by Al Ahly, while the club’s media director Maher Ghareeb said an apology would not restore the lost points but was important to “preserve rights”.

“We know the match will not be replayed and that the three points are gone, but Zamalek suffered refereeing injustice,” Ghareeb told MBC Masr. “There were errors by the referee, and the question is whether it is difficult for the Referees Committee to apologise for those mistakes.”

He added: “We gave the Football Association 48 hours, and after that, each matter will be dealt with accordingly. An apology from the Referees Committee will not bring back the points, but this is about preserving rights.”

Zamalek’s board, chaired by Hussein Labib, announced a series of measures after the Egyptian Premier League derby, including a request to coordinate with the Football Association to send a club delegation to examine the match’s Video Assistant Referee (VAR) recordings.

The club said it wanted to establish what happened inside the VAR room and why the technology did not intervene in incidents which affected the course and result of the game.

Zamalek also said it would cite comments made by Essam Abdel Fattah, chairman of the Football Association’s Referees Committee, during an appearance with broadcaster Seif Zaher on On Sport, stressing that the Laws of the Game are applied universally.

The club said it would contact the Supreme Council for Media Regulation over the broadcast of insulting chants directed at Zamalek, calling for the necessary action against those responsible and for media and sporting standards to be upheld.

“Zamalek will continue defending the rights of its supporters so that refereeing mistakes against the club are not repeated,” the club said in its statement. “The club has suffered greatly from such errors throughout its long history and paid a heavy price. It will not be acceptable for the situation to continue, whatever the consequences, as Zamalek seeks to establish justice across Egyptian football.”

Zamalek have submitted formal complaints against the Referees Committee, the match director and Al Ahly supporters following the derby.

Asked about reports that Chico Banza had requested not to travel, Ghareeb said the player was currently in Rwanda with the squad. He added that Mahmoud Bentayg was the only member of the first-team squad absent because of injury.

Ghareeb also said Moataz Gamal had undergone surgery and could not travel with the delegation, but was well and expected to join the squad and lead the team against Rwandan Army.

The defeat was Zamalek’s first of the league season and left them third on 13 points, while Al Ahly moved temporarily top on 16. It was Al Ahly’s 53rd league derby victory, compared with 29 for Zamalek and 51 draws, and their fourth consecutive win over Zamalek in all competitions.

Moataz Gamal has now lost both of his matches as Zamalek manager against Al Ahly, by 3-0 last season and 2-0 this season. Al Hussein Ammouta won his first derby as Al Ahly manager.

Zamalek visit Rwandan Army on Friday, 16 October, in the first leg of the CAF Champions League round of 32.