By David Gold
April 4 – Egypt’s Football Association President Samir Zaher has said that the country would have to reconsider the resumption of domestic football in mid April after a Champions League game in Cairo had to be abandoned after supporters invaded the pitch.
Zamalek were leading 2-1 against Club Africain of Tunisia 2-1 and required just one goal to win, having lost the first leg 4-2 in Tunis.
When Ahmed Gaafar’s late header found the net only to be ruled offside by the officials, a pitch invasion by several hundred fans ensued.
The officials were Algerian, and there is a long standing rivalry between Egypt and Algeria, which dates back to 1989, when an Egyptian win over their rivals sparked riots.
In addition, games between north African sides are always hotly contested and passionate encounters.
It now seems certain that the African Champions League will award the tie to the Tunisian side, with five times Champions League winners Zamalek set to face censure for failing to control their supporters.
And the country’s 16 club national championship, which was due to resume on April 15, may now be put back further.
It was suspended as a result of the revolts which overthrew the country’s ruler Hosni Mubarak in January.
Zaher said that following the disturbances in the week, they would reconsider the date for resuming league football.
“This is not promising…what happened makes us reconsider.
“What if we resumed the league and the fans of two bitter rivals such as Ahly and Zamalek were at the same stadium?”
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