The race for the Egyptian Premier League title remains unsettled with just one round of matches left in the season. On Tuesday, Zamalek moved closer to securing their first league championship since 2022 after Palestinian striker Oday Dabbagh scored the decisive goal in their 1-0 victory over Smouha. The goal, netted in the 62nd minute, lifted Zamalek to 53 points. With a superior head-to-head record over nearest challengers Pyramids FC, Zamalek require only a draw in their final game to clinch the title.

Pyramids FC, meanwhile, faced a setback as they could only manage a 1-1 draw against Ceramica Cleopatra, despite coming from behind to equalize. This result sees Pyramids remain in second place, two points adrift of Zamalek and just one point ahead of defending champions Ahly. Ahly, on their part, strengthened their position with a commanding 3-0 win over Enppi on the same evening. All three key matches kicked off simultaneously at 8 p.m. Cairo time in an effort to minimize any potential match-fixing concerns.

The league title will be decided on the final matchday, scheduled for Friday, May 15. Pyramids will face Smouha, while Ahly take on Masri. Notably, Zamalek’s final league fixture against Ceramica Cleopatra has been postponed to accommodate their continental commitments, with their second leg African Confederation Cup final against USM Alger set for May 16 in Cairo.

Recent results have intensified the title battle. On May 1, Ahly recorded a pivotal 3-0 victory over Zamalek in the derby at Cairo International Stadium. Achraf Bencharki starred for Ahly, scoring twice and assisting another, while an uncharacteristically poor performance by Zamalek defender Hossam Abdel-Meguid contributed to their downfall. Despite early pressure from Zamalek, Ahly capitalized on defensive errors to take control of the match. Both teams missed penalty opportunities in the second half, but Ahly secured the win with Bencharki’s second goal in the 74th minute.

Ahly coach Jess Thorup praised his team’s discipline and fighting spirit following the derby win, emphasizing the supporters’ influence and preparation in recent days. Conversely, Zamalek coach Motamed Gamal acknowledged his team’s mistakes and expressed determination to continue contesting for the title despite the setback. “We must put today’s loss behind us, as there are still six points to secure the title,” said Gamal.

Elsewhere, Pyramids’ comeback victory against Enppi featured a flurry of goals in the first half. Enppi took an early lead in the Air Defence Stadium, but Pyramids responded quickly with three goals from Awda Al-Fakhouri and Mustafa Ziko, the latter scoring twice. Although Enppi managed a penalty equalizer before halftime, Pyramids restored and maintained their lead to bolster their title ambitions.

With the final round set to unfold between clubs facing mid-table opponents, the Egyptian Premier League is poised for a dramatic conclusion to what has been a tightly contested campaign.