Manchester City missed the chance to regain a place in the top four in the English Premier League on Sunday when they were beaten 2-1 at Wigan Athletic.
The big-spending Lancashire side struggled to produce the end product and a controversial penalty decision proved to be the difference, with Zaki converting to lift the home side into the top half of the table.
Antonio Valencia ripped a 30m shot past Joe Hart for the first goal on 16 minutes, but City, who again fielded Brazilian Robinho, equalized six minutes later when Wilson Palacios’s attempted clearance hit Vincent Kompany and went past Chris Kirkland.
But on 33 minutes, Wigan regained the lead thanks to a contentious penalty decision. Javier Garrido and Palacios contested the ball in the area and the Wigan man fell dramatically and referee Steve Bennett awarded a penalty, which Zaki scored.
Brazilian Elano flashed a good attempt wide on the hour mark and Stephen Ireland stabbed a shot past the post five minutes later, while Kirkland saved well from Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Wigan battled for every ball and Zaki almost made it 3-1 late on, forcing Hart to tip a fine curler over the bar.
The result leaves City eighth, with nine points, five off the lead, while Wigan moved up to tenth, one point behind.
Portsmouth occupy ninth spot after they beat bottom side Tottenham Hotspur 2-0, thanks to goals from Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch.
The home side had conceded 10 goals in their previous two games but they were back on song against a Spurs side looking toothless in attack and short on confidence.
Defoe put Portsmouth ahead from the penalty spot after 34 minutes, after a handball by Jermaine Jenas.
Spurs thought they should have had a penalty of their own when Aaron Lennon’s cross hit Lassana Diarra’s arm, but the referee waved play on.
Crouch then headed the second goal for Portsmouth midway through the second half and though Diarra was sent off for two bookings late on, the home side were comfortable winners.
Juande Ramos’s Tottenham side have just two points from their first six games and sit bottom, two points adrift.
“It was a great result for us,” Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp said.
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