CAIRO (Interstat) — Ahmed Atef scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time as ZED beat Modern 3-2 on Tuesday, securing a victory that moved the home side to one win, no losses and one draw in the competition and to two wins, no losses and two draws across all competitions. Modern fell to one win and one loss in the competition and to two wins and one loss overall. The match was the latest step in an unbeaten start for ZED, while Modern saw a two-match winning run in all competitions end. The teams traded goals in a wide-open contest that kept its shape until the final minutes.

Messi was ZED’s top star with one goal and one assist, and his performance came after he had played only nine minutes in ZED’s previous 1-1 draw at Arab Contractors. Modern struck first when Mahmoud Mamdouh scored in the 13th minute. ZED equalized through R. Khalil in the 35th minute, then took the lead five minutes later when Messi scored. Modern stayed within reach and equalized in the 85th minute when Mamdouh scored again, setting up a frantic closing stretch. ZED kept pressing and was rewarded in stoppage time when Atef, who had been on the field for one minute, scored the winner. Sameh Ibrahim had an assist for ZED and was booked in the eighth minute of stoppage time. The goal capped a match in which ZED had to answer Modern’s early breakthrough and then respond again after Mamdouh’s late equalizer.

Modern’s Ali Fawzi recorded two assists, and Modern’s attack remained dangerous even after ZED had taken the lead. ZED’s Messi finished with a goal and an assist, R. Khalil scored once, Atef delivered the late winner and Sameh Ibrahim added an assist. Modern made substitutions at halftime and again in the 60th and 72nd minutes, while ZED turned to its bench in the 60th, 75th and 89th minutes. Modern brought on Redjem and Kaboria at halftime, Reda and Mosaad in the 60th and Mohamed in the 72nd. ZED introduced Abdelrahman El Sakran in the 60th, Mahmoud Sayed Okaa and Marzouk in the 75th and Bolbol and Hussein in the 89th. Yellow cards went to ZED’s Bakri in the 66th minute, Mohamed in the first minute of stoppage time and Ibrahim in the eighth minute of stoppage time. ZED’s late surge finally broke through when Atef converted the decisive chance.

The result extended ZED’s unbeaten run after recent draws with Azam and Arab Contractors and a win at Zamalek. ZED had drawn 1-1 with Azam and 1-1 at Arab Contractors before beating Zamalek 3-0. Modern had entered after wins over ENPPI and National Bank of Egypt Club but could not hold its second equalizer. Modern had beaten ENPPI 3-2 and National Bank of Egypt Club 2-0. ZED’s competition record now stands at one win, no losses and one draw, while Modern is one win and one loss in the competition. Across all competitions, ZED is two wins, no losses and two draws, and Modern is two wins and one loss. The teams will now turn to their next fixtures with ZED protecting an unbeaten mark and Modern looking to regroup after a narrow defeat.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of ZED 1, Modern 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected ZED with a 63.6 percent probability to win, and ZED had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 5 went under the over/under line of 1.5.