Ittihad Alexandria vs Ismaily: prediction, H2H and probable lineups — 23.05.2026
One of the fixtures of round 35 in the Egyptian Premier League relegation group will be played this Saturday at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, where the local side Ittihad Alexandria hosts Ismaily. I’m backing a bet on the total goals in this clash, as a cautious, low-scoring affair looks the most logical scenario here.
Match preview
Ittihad Alexandria approach this match lacking confidence: they sit 10th in the relegation group, have earned 32 points, and are often stuck in stalemates. In their last six rounds, the hosts have suffered three defeats, with the latest setback being a narrow 0-1 loss to Ghazl Al Mahalla. Yet at home, the team looks notably more composed, recently picking up wins over Tala'ea Al Jaish (1-0) and FC Masr (2-1).
The main feature of Ittihad Alexandria is pragmatic football with low scoring. The team rarely opens up unless absolutely necessary, and they themselves don’t score much: their average goals per match remain below one. Against Ismaily, the hosts will surely focus on risk control again, because in relegation group matches, the cost of a mistake outweighs the spectacle.
Ismaily are even lower down — 14th with 20 points, and their season has been even more of a struggle. Wins are rare, especially away from home, where victories are almost unheard of. Recent results tell the story: a 0-0 draw with FC Masr, a 1-2 defeat to Wadi Degla SC, and goalless draws with NBE and Ghazl Al Mahalla.
Ismaily have a serious attacking problem: they average just 0.28 goals per away match. Even their 1-0 win over Petrojet Suez looked more like an exception than a sign of an upswing. So in Alexandria, the visitors will likely sit deep, aiming not to lose the first half and hoping to snatch a rare chance from a set piece or opponent’s mistake.
Probable lineups
- Ittihad Alexandria: Genesh, Abdelfattah, Ibrahim, Alaa, El Deeb, Magli, Emad, Dunga, Toni, Afsha, Ebuka
- Ismaily: Amir, Shehata, Ayman, Nasr, Mansour, Samiae, Hassan, Faraj, Al Nabris, Hatari, Abdelsalam
Match facts & head-to-head
- Ittihad Alexandria have kept a clean sheet against Ismaily in their last three league meetings.
- Under 2.5 goals have been scored in the last four league clashes between Ittihad Alexandria and Ismaily.
- Ismaily have won just three of their last 27 away matches in the league.
Prediction
This match has all the makings of a classic low-scoring relegation group battle: both teams are cautious, inconsistent in attack, and can’t afford to play open football. Ittihad Alexandria are stronger at home, but Ismaily know how to slow the tempo, so betting on a goal fest here looks risky.
