CAIRO: Zamalek beat struggling Aluminum 5-1 at home to maintain their lead in the chase for the second spot.
Abel Halim Ali, 3 and 38, and Amr Zaki, 25 and 84, hit each a brace, as Osama Hassan, 55, completed the rout. Mostafa Abbas scored the visitors consolation goal three minutes before the break.
Zamalek are second with 50 points while Aluminum are now 12th with 27 points just two above 14th-placed Telecom Egypt.
Zamalek started well and showed some fine attacking skills that resulted into a goal from Ali after only three minutes. He was sent clear on target by Magdi Atwa and chipped the ball over the keeper.
The Whites were three up after 38 minutes as Zaki and Ali scored from close range.
Aluminum pulled one back when Abbas made an individual effort to break through the Whites defense and go round Mohamed Abel Monsef to score in the empty net.
Zamalek kept a firm grip on the game and Hassan restored his side s three-goal lead with a well-placed free kick.
With just 10 minutes left to play, Shikabala sent one of his magical passes to Ahmed Abel Raouf but he was fouled by the hapless Aluminum goalie who had to pull out of the game after the collision.
Zaki scored the fifth from the spot to increase his tally to seven league goals this season.
