AP Sports Preview: Egyptian Premier League

CAIRO (Interstat) — Ismaily SC hosts ZED on Sunday in an Egyptian Premier League clash that pits a struggling home side against a visiting team finding its stride.

Ismaily enters the match on a three-match losing streak and has managed just one win in its last eight contests. Most recently, the club fell 2-1 at Wadi Degla SC on Tuesday. The Dervishes’ offensive struggles are acute, with only one goal scored in their past seven league outings — a 1-0 victory over Petrojet on April 28.

ZED arrives in more resolute form. The visitors secured a 3-2 victory at Ghazl El Mahalla SC on Wednesday, their fourth win in five matches. That positive run has been punctuated by only a narrow 2-1 loss to Pyramids on May 10. ZED has multiple goal threats, evidenced by scoring three on Wednesday and two in an earlier match against Modern SC.

The head-to-head record favors ZED. The teams last met Sept. 12, 2025, when ZED earned a 1-0 home victory.

Ismaily will seek to reverse a trend of defensive fragility. The club has conceded 11 goals in its last eight games, with only two clean sheets in that span. ZED, meanwhile, has shown resilience, earning five points from losing positions this season.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 1-1 draw.

Sunday’s match kicks off at the Ismaily Stadium. Ismaily is 14th in the league standings; ZED sits seventh.