ENPPI secured an important 1–0 victory over visitors Zamalek in their postponed match from Round 15 of the Nile Egyptian League, bringing the first phase of the competition to a close.
The match started in dramatic fashion as ENPPI were awarded a penalty in the 16th minute after a foul by Mohamed Ibrahim inside the box. Ahmed El-Agouz stepped up to take the spot kick and converted successfully in the 18th minute. Although goalkeeper Mahdi Soliman managed to get a touch on the ball, it still found its way into the net to give the Petroleum side an early lead.
ENPPI had another golden opportunity to extend their advantage in the 35th minute after the referee awarded them a second penalty following a foul by Mohamed El-Sayed. However, Ahmed Kalosha missed the chance as his strike struck the crossbar and bounced away, keeping Zamalek within reach.
Late drama unfolded in stoppage time when Zamalek were awarded a penalty in the stoppage time after Abdallah El-Said was brought down inside the box. Defender Hossam Abdelmaguid stepped up to take the kick, but his effort in the 90+8 minute crashed against the crossbar, denying the visitors a last-gasp equalizer.
The final whistle confirmed a valuable win for ENPPI, who climbed to seventh place with 30 points, securing their spot in the championship group that will compete for the league title in the next phase.
Despite the surprise defeat, Zamalek remain at the top of the Nile Egyptian League standings with 43 points as the first stage of the competition concludes.
| Pos | Team | MP | Pts |
| 1 | Zamalek SC | 20 | 43 |
| 2 | Pyramids FC | 20 | 43 |
| 3 | Al Ahly SC | 20 | 40 |
| 4 | Ceramica Cleopatra | 20 | 38 |
| 5 | Al Masry SC | 20 | 32 |
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