CAIRO (Interstat) — Petrojet opened its Egyptian Premier League campaign with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over ZED FC on Thursday afternoon at Petrosport Stadium in Kattameya, defying a late equalizer projection to secure three points.

The match, which saw both teams open their domestic league schedules, was decided by a quick-response goal in the second half after ZED had taken a surprising lead. The result immediately separated the two sides in the early table, with Petrojet moving to a perfect start and ZED left to search for its first points.

The game’s first major moment arrived just before halftime, when Petrojet substitute Ali Gamal received a yellow card in the 47th minute. The caution did not deter his impact, however, as he became instrumental in the leveling goal shortly after the break.

The deadlock was broken in the 56th minute by ZED’s Abdelrahman El Banoubi. The substitute, who had just entered the match, provided a crucial finish to give the visiting side a 1-0 advantage and put the home team under pressure.

Petrojet’s response was swift and effective. Just eight minutes later, in the 64th minute, forward Rasheed Ahmed found the equalizer. The goal was assisted by midfielder Mohamed Ali Okasha, who would later receive a yellow card in the 71st minute, and the previously cautioned Ali Gamal, who recorded the primary helper on the play.

The decisive goal came from midfielder Adham Hamed, who put Petrojet ahead for good. His winning strike was set up by a combination from midfielder Ahmed Bahbah and forward Samir Mohamed. Both Bahbah and Mohamed joined the game’s disciplinary log, receiving yellow cards in the 90th minute and in second-half stoppage time, respectively.

The match grew increasingly tense as ZED pushed for another equalizer, but Petrojet’s defense held firm to see out the victory. The final score overturned the projection of Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 1-1 draw. The statistical service’s ELO rating system had given Petrojet a 69 percent probability of winning before kickoff, a forecast the home side ultimately validated.

With the victory, Petrojet begins its Premier League season with a 1-0-0 record, while ZED starts 0-0-1. The records mirror both teams’ standing across all competitions for the young season. The match highlighted the impact of substitutions, with Petrojet’s Ali Gamal and ZED’s Abdelrahman El Banoubi playing pivotal roles off the bench in the second-half sequence that defined the contest.

The Egyptian Premier League continues next week with Petrojet looking to build on its winning start and ZED aiming to rebound from its opening defeat.