Masri moved four points clear of the relegation zone after securing a 2-1 home win over rock-bottom Asyut Petroleum in the Egyptian Premier League on Friday. The Port Said-based club continued their revival under German coach Theo Buecker to ease their relegation worries. Buecker opted to put keeper Amir Abdul-Hamid, who joined from Ahli in January, on the bench following his recent lackluster displays. Ahmed Al-Shenawi, who deputized for him, produced a promising performance and blocked several decent attempts from the visitors. Masri took a deserved lead six minutes before the break when Mohamed Khalifa's close-range shot found the net after he was set up by Malian striker Bakary Coulibaly. Asyut striker Bahaa Berri leveled the score in the 47th minute in superb fashion, flicking a pass before sending a superb left-footed volley past the keeper Abdul-Salam Nagah, who played a key role in Masri's fine run of results after arriving in January, gave them all three points just three minutes later with an equally brilliant strike. The talented playmaker made the most of a poor defensive clearance from Asyut to score with an overhead kick. Masri, who suffered just one defeat in six games under Buecker, are four points clear of third-bottom Gouna. Asyut look destined to go down, with 12 points separating them from safety eight matches before the end.
