Zamalek ended a six-match winless run on Saturday after registering a well-earned 3-1 victory over a stubborn Police Union in the Egyptian League. Mahmoud Abdul-Razek 'Shikabala' opened the scoring early on 11 minutes, before defender Yasser Mostafa scored the equalizer three minutes later. Nine minutes before the interval Abdul-Halim Ali restored Zamalek's lead, and Junior Agogo put the icing on the cake on 70 minutes. Having clinched a much-needed victory, the Cairo giants advanced to the fifth place with 21 points. Stars Return Zamalek were boosted by the return of Ghanaian striker Agogo, who served three-match suspension due to improper conduct. Veteran hitman Ali, Zamalek all-time top scorer, also came on as a starter, after a long period on the fringes with fitness problems. Defensive duo Mahmoud Fathallah and Hani Saied also took part in the game after going on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Recently-reprieved trio Mohamed Aboul-Ella, Gamal Hamza and Ayman Abdul-Aziz came on as second-half substitutes. Revitalized Zamalek Zamalek had to win the match at all costs, as another loss would have spelled disaster for the out-of-sorts side, who were just three points above the relegation zone ahead of the game. The Police side were keen to hit an early opener, but couldn't pose real threat on their opponents, who have been suffering a stuttering form for almost two months. Shikabala was about to score early when he went one-on-one with the keeper after latching on to Ali's deft pass, but his effort was blocked by goalie Mohamed Khalaf.
Agogo added the third The home side took a stranglehold on the game in no time, and their ball possession superiority was quite obvious. The lively Shikabala made amends for wasting a clear-cut chance and netted an incredible goal from about 40 yards, when awkwardly-positioned Khalaf was caught napping. The visitors leveled shortly after, when Reda Al-Azab's free-kick was punched away by Zamalek's Abdul-Wahed Al-Sayed, but Yasser Mostafa gathered the loose ball to volley in a superb equalizer. A revitalized Zamalek weren't shaken upon conceding a goal, and maintained pressure upfront. Ali was close to putting his team ahead when he confronted Khalaf unmarked after receiving a defense-splitting pass from Shikabala, but the former's shot drifted wide of the mark. Afterwards, the 35-year-old wasted several other chances, but he eventually atoned for all the squandered opportunities. The Gaish-target restored Zamalek's lead when he skillfully volleyed a left-flank cross into the bottom left corner of the net, to give the fans a glimpse of his glory days and end his six-month goal drought. Agogo earned a penalty kick seconds before the end of the first half, but Fathallah couldn't convert it as Khalaf denied his shot. In the second half, the playing rhythm was much less exciting, while Zamalek kept the upper hand. Shikabala was about to strike again on 57 minutes, but his inch-perfect free-kick was competently saved by Police's Khalaf. The goalie, who saved his net on more than one occasion, also prevented Agogo from slotting home when the later tried his luck from close-rang. However, the 29-year-old scored the third goal for Zamalek with aplomb from inside the box after receiving a through from Ali. Talaat Youssef's men tried to tighten the gap within the last ten minutes of the game, but the hosts managed to keep their two-goal cushion.
