Ismaily SC were forced to deal with a major squad crisis ahead of their final Egyptian Premier League match against Pharco FC after 18 players became unavailable for the encounter.
The Darawish entered the final round already relegated from the Egyptian top flight alongside Pharco, but preparations for the match were severely disrupted by a wave of absences that left the technical staff with limited options.
Three players were ruled out through injury following medical assessments, while two others missed the game due to suspension after accumulating yellow cards.
The biggest setback, however, came from a larger group of players who reportedly informed the coaching staff they would not be available because of injury concerns ahead of the season finale.
The situation left Ismaily with a severely depleted squad and forced the club to prepare for the match with only a small number of senior players available.
Administrative complications also prevented the promotion of additional youth players, as several academy prospects reportedly do not yet have fully documented contracts registered with the Egyptian Football Association.
As a result, Ismaily had little choice but to complete the campaign with a reduced squad despite the scale of the absences.
The crisis adds to what has already been a deeply disappointing season for the former Egyptian champions, whose relegation from the Premier League had been confirmed weeks earlier following a turbulent campaign marked by instability both on and off the pitch.
The situation surrounding the Pharco match has further highlighted the growing challenges facing Ismaily as the club prepares for life in Egypt’s second division next season.
