Fans return for classic Cairo football rivalry
Gulf Times
Egypt's al-Ahly fans attend a football match with al-Zamalek in the Egyptian Premier League at the Cairo International Stadium in the capital on November 5, 2021.
For the first time in years fans returned to Cairo's International Stadium on Friday for a classic local football clash between two of Africa's greatest rivals, Al Ahly and Zamalek.
Each Cairo-based side had the right to only 1,000 fans -- in a stadium with more than 70,000 capacity -- but their presence meant a return to partial normality after a long silence initially because of fan violence, and then the coronavirus pandemic.
The two Egyptian Premier League clubs have long dominated the local scene and have also consistently figured prominently in continental competitions.
In 2020 they battled behind closed doors, also at International Stadium, in the first ever CAF Champions League final between opponents from the same country.
