Zamalek cruise to Confed Cup group stage with victory over Kenya’s Police FC

Ahmed Ghandour , Friday 20 Sep 2024

Defending champions Zamalek secured a spot in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage after defeating Kenya’s Police FC 2-1 in the second leg of the second preliminary round at Cairo International Stadium on Friday.

Zamalek
Zamalek defender Omar Gaber shoots the ball during the 2-1 victory over Kenya's Police FC in the second leg of the preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup on Friday. Photo: Zamalek's official X account

 

Second-half goals from winger Ahmed "Zizo" Sayed and Nasser Maher powered the Cairo giants to the next stage, while Jesse Were netted a consolation goal for the visitors.

Zamalek entered the match with an advantage, having won the first leg 1-0 in Nairobi.

The White Knights pressed forward from the opening whistle, while Police FC relied on swift counterattacks.

Despite dominating possession, Zamalek's forwards struggled to find the net due to rushed efforts, leaving the first half scoreless.

The breakthrough came in the 56th minute when Omar Gaber made a swift run down the left flank, delivering a pinpoint cross to Ahmed "Zizo" Sayed, who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.

Just four minutes later, Zamalek doubled their lead after a defensive blunder by the Kenyan side.

Nasser Maher capitalized on the error, applying pressure inside the penalty area before firing home from close range.

Kenyan Police pulled one back in the 66th minute when Jesse Were headed in a free kick from the edge of the box.

The game marked the return of young striker Hossam Ashraf, who made his first appearance for Zamalek after a loan spell, replacing Seifeddine Jaziri in the 77th minute.

However, the final minutes saw a spate of injuries for Zamalek, with both Mohamed Shehata and Nabil Emad Dunga forced off.

With their 3-1 aggregate victory, Zamalek advanced to the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, continuing their bid for another continental title.

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