Zamalek lifted the Egypt Cup for the 28th time on Thursday with a deserved 2-1 win over their arch-rivals Al-Ahly in the final in Cairo.
Ahmed El-Sayed and Emam Ashour scored in the first half as the White Knights took control of the match, and while Al-Ahly pulled a goal back through Hossam Hassan 10 minutes into the second half, they were unable to get back on level terms.
As this was the delayed 2021 final, it means that the White Knights have completed the double after winning last season’s league title. It is the club’s fourth such achievement following twin triumphs in 1960, 1988 and 2015. The latter double was achieved by current coach Jesualdo Ferreira.
Al-Ahly now have to focus on catching Zamalek in the league and, with about a third of the season remaining, are nine points behind the leaders with two games in hand. On this performance, however, the task may be beyond the Red Giants as they were swept aside in the first half when their neighbors could have been out of sight.
The first goal came after six minutes and it is one that Al-Ahly star Mohammed El-Shenawy will not want to see again. Egypt’s international goalkeeper came running out of his area in an attempt to clear but was then left in no-man’s land when he was beaten to the ball by Seifeddine Jazira, who then crossed for El-Sayed to head into the empty net.
El-Shenawy was able to redeem himself as Zamalek continued to pile on the pressure, making a great double save from Mahmoud Hamdy 10 minutes later but was beaten again on the half hour. Ashour exchanged passes with El-Sayed on the edge of the area and then curled a low shot into the far corner.
Al-Ahly were stunned and their first attempt on goal came just before the break as Aliou Dieng shot over. It was not much but it at least gave the 10-time African champions something to build on, and in the second-half they improved. Ten minutes after the restart, the Reds were back in the game.
Hassan nipped in front of goalkeeper Mohamed Awad to collect a bouncing ball in the area and then scored from close range to give the red-shirted fans hope.
There was more pressure; the closest the equalizer came was when Hamdi Fathi headed over a corner from close range with 20 minutes remaining, but Zamalek, who had chances of their own, stood firm to win the cup and deservedly so.
Zamalek’s coach was delighted with the win but was less happy with the schedule that his team now faces. “It was a fair result, I think,” Ferreira said. “The problem is that we now have nine league matches in a short time and this puts a lot of pressure on the team. This is not good for the Egyptian team.”
His opposite number, Portuguese compatriot Ricardo Soares, appointed only last month, tried to take heart from the second-half performance.
“They scored two goals from our mistakes and that affected our confidence, which helped Zamalek be the better team in the first half. We made changes in the second half, got a goal back and made opportunities to get back on level terms and even win, which is what I feel we deserved. In the end, however, it is very sad to lose this game but we have to look forward.”
That is all Al-Ahly can do as they try to recapture the league title from their rivals. With 11 games coming by the end of August, it will not be easy. If Zamalek are tired, then Al-Ahly are exhausted. The fact that the league leaders came into this game in better form was confirmed by the performances of the two teams. Soares, almost 30 years the junior of Ferreira, has much to do if he is to lift his first major trophy. It remains to be seen how his players are affected by losing such a big game but the consequences may well be negative in terms of confidence and energy.
Zamalek are playing well and sitting on top of the league. They now have the Egypt Cup in their trophy cabinet and will believe that it will soon be joined by another league championship. On this evidence, few would disagree.
