ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (Interstat) — In a match that did little to alter the fortunes of two struggling sides, Pharco and Ghazl El Mahalla SC played to a 1-1 draw in the Egyptian Premier League on Saturday at Borg el-Arab Stadium.

The result left both clubs mired in the lower half of the table, each adding another draw to a season full of them. The visitors from El Mahalla, who have drawn a league-high 12 games, are now winless in their last five outings across all competitions. Pharco, meanwhile, extended its own winless run in the league to four matches.

The game sparked to life almost immediately. Ghazl El Mahalla SC forward Aliou Badara silenced the home crowd in just the sixth minute, finishing a play assisted by midfielder Mohamed Fakhri to give the visitors an early advantage. The goal was a rare early strike for El Mahalla, a team that has often struggled to score first.

The opening goal set a fractious tone for the first half, which was punctuated by a flurry of yellow cards. Fakhri, who provided the assist, was booked in the 15th minute. El Mahalla defender Babacar Ndiaye followed with a caution in the 30th minute, and teammate Abdelrahim Amoory was shown a yellow card just before halftime in the 43rd minute.

Pharco, which had been favored to win according to pre-game projections from Interstat, pushed for an equalizer. The home side’s pressure finally told in the second half. Substitute Ahmed Hamed Shousha leveled the score, converting a chance created by fellow substitute Moaz Abdelsalam. The goal ensured the statistical projection of a 1-1 draw, rather than the simulated 1-0 Pharco victory, proved accurate.

The latter stages of the match grew increasingly tense, with three more yellow cards issued. El Mahalla’s Moaz Abdelsalam was booked in the 74th minute, followed by teammate Rached Arfaoui in the 79th. Pharco’s Yassine El Mallah received a caution in second-half stoppage time.

The draw continued a recent trend of tight, low-scoring contests between the two clubs. Their last three meetings, including a 0-0 draw on March 7 and a 1-0 Pharco victory on Dec. 19, have now produced only two total goals.

In the broader context of the season, the single point does little to alleviate concerns for either club. Ghazl El Mahalla SC’s record in the Premier League now stands at three wins, four losses and 12 draws. Pharco’s league mark moved to three wins, nine losses and nine draws. Both teams have found victories hard to come by, with their struggles underscored by their positioning in the league table.

The match was characterized by a reliance on substitutes making an impact. Four of the six players credited with either a goal or an assist — Shousha and Abdelsalam for Pharco, and Amoory and Arfaoui for El Mahalla — began the game on the bench, highlighting the depth both managers were forced to utilize in search of a decisive advantage that never materialized.

With the draw, each team will look to regroup as the Egyptian Premier League season continues, both seeking the consistent form that has eluded them throughout the campaign.