Season 2008–09 Average goals/game 2.42 Champion Al Ahly SC | Champions Al-Ahly Dates 8 Aug 2008 – 24 May 2009 Goals scored 582 | |
CAF Champions League Al-Ahly (1st),
Ismaily (2nd) CAF Confederation Cup Haras El Hodood (Cup Winner),
Petrojet (3rd) Top goalscorer Ernest Papa Arko (El Geish), Flavio Amado (Al-Ahly) both 12 goals Relegated Telecom Egypt SC, Tersana SC, El-Olympi People also search for 2009–10 Egyptian Premier League | ||
The 2008–09 Egyptian Premier League constituted the fifty-second season of the Egyptian Premier League since its establishment in 1948. The league comprises sixteen teams, with Al-Ahly the defending champions for the fourth year in a row and for the thirty-third time in total. The Egyptian season began on 8 August 2008 and ended on 24 May 2009.
Contents
Channels broadcasting the League matches
Special Matches
As in any league, certain matches are the highlights of the season. In Egypt, the matches that are anticipated the most are those among the "triangle of power" in Egypt, which consists of Ahly, Zamalek and Ismaily.
- Whether one refers to it as the "Egyptian Derby," the "Cairo Derby" or "Africa's Derby," Al Ahly v. Zamalek is one of the top derbies in the world. It is a match between Africa's most successful clubs, as they have 11 Champions League titles between them, five for Zamalek and six for Al Ahly.
- The Cairo-Ismailia Rivalry is another clash of the titans in Egyptian football, as Cairo-based clubs Ahly and Zamalek have mixed relations with the city of Ismailia, home to the Ismaily Sports Club, the third most decorated side in Egypt. The Zamalek-Ismaily games are usually peaceful as the clubs' boards and fans have had traditionally good relations with each other, unlike the relationship between Ahly and Ismaily fans.
The reason for the hatred between Ahly and Ismaily fans is not clear, but most agree that the main conflict stems back to the 1967 Six Day War. Israeli troops forced the people of Ismailia and most of the people living on the Suez Canal to evacuate and leave their homes, going westwards towards the inside of Egypt. Ismaily SC asked Al Ahly to host them, but the Cairo giants refused. This was a bitter blow to the relationship between both sides, and has always been a touchy point ever since. Also, during Ahly's reconstruction period in 2004, Ahly managed to sign a host of former Ismaily star players including Mohamed Barakat, Islam Al Shater and Emad Al Nahhas.
Highlights of the Premier League
- Mahmoud "Shikabala" Abd El Razek, the Zamalek play-maker, was given a 6-month ban by FIFA due to irregularities in his transfer to Zamalek from Greek side PAOK on July 23 and fined 990.000Euros. He is expected to make his comeback on 7 November in Zamalek's home match against Al Mokawleen.
- Ahmed Hassan, Egypt's National Team captain, makes his first entrance to the Egyptian Premier League since 1998 with his new club Al Ahly from R.S.C. Andelecht for an undisclosed amount.
- Ghana's golden boy of CAN 2008 "Junior" Agogo was transferred from Nottingham Forest to Zamalek for a reported 800,000 Euros, a record signing an African player in Egypt.
- Former PetroJet's Ivorian forward Zika Jori stirred Egyptian newspapers with his flight to UAE to complete a transfer to Al-Wasl through buying out the remainder of his contract with the Suez-based club amounted to 350,000 USD. At the time he was the Egyptian Premier League's top goalscorer.
- Al Masry's general manager and Egyptian legend Hossam Hassan was given a 6 match touchline ban by the Egyptian FA and fined 50,000 Egyptian Pounds in Week 5 due to his arguments with the referee and the fourth official in Al Masry's away match with Egyptian Telecom.
- Al Ismaili managed to re-enter former star forward Mohamed Mohsen Abo Greisha into their ranks after returning from a one-year loan spell in Zhejiang Lucheng of the Chinese Super League. They contracted the veteran striker to a 3 years and a half contract.
- El-Masry Chairman and well-known Port Saidi businessman Sayed Metwally died during Week 10 due to Cardiac arrest. As such in the second set of matches of the week, teams wore black armbands. He was 68.
- Zamalek managed to contain Al Ahly in the 2nd leg Cairo derby and draw 0-0 after presenting a beautiful game using their youth products. Emerging as the unlikely hero of the night is Hazem Mohamed Emam, 21-year-old silky full-back as he terrorized Ahly defenses early on.
- The draw with Zamalek and Ismaily winning Zamalek meant Al Ahly needed to win ENPPI at home to maintain a 2-point lead at the top of the table, but stiff opposition and countless refereeing quambbles Ahly drew 2-2. The trophy had a hand in red and a hand in yellow.
- The last match of the season saw Ismaili face relegated Tersana and Ahly facing Al Geish. Ismaily played their game and won 3-0 hands down and had to wait for Ahly's simultaneous match to end. Ahly had suffered a setback with Al Geish drawing first blood with a 1-0 lead. Al Ahly pushed in one of the team's most tense moments in the league. In 88th minute Abo Trika managed a header into the top corner of the goal to draw the game and Ahly pushed on for the second. That came in the 93rd minute through Ahmed Fathi to score Ahly's most important goal in the past few years. 19-year-old striker Mohamed Talaat scored his first ever goal for Al Ahly since his transfer a few second later with a delightful chip above the Geish goalkeeper to confirm Al Ahly's win and the league is off to a tie-breaker in Al Max Stadium in Alexandria.
- 12,000 fans in the 18,000 capacity Al Max Stadium in Alexandria, home of Haras Al Hodood. Al Ahly faced Ismaily in a 1-leg play-off final after both teams had the same number of points. Al Ahly managed a 1-0 victory over their arch-rivals through Angolan pair Gilberto and Flavio. The Angolan winger whipped a cross inside the box for the unmarked Flavio to score his 12th goal of the season.
League Table 2008-2009
(C)= Champions, (R)= Relegated, Prg = Progress, Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; ± = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Source: FIFA.com
Last updated May 24, 2009, 2:20 AM UTC+2.
Top scorers
Top Scorer by Field Position
Last updated May 24, 2009, 11:59 AM UTC.
Non-Egyptian Players
Stadiums
Cairo International Stadium is home to Cairo giants El_Ahly and Zamalek. Ismailia Stadium is home to Ismaily SC. The recently opened Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria (capacity: 80,000) is currently mainly used for international competition, as it was constructed as part of Egypt's failed bid to land the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, there is speculation that League sides from Alexandria will eventually call it their home grounds.