Masry's winger Mohamed El Shami clinched victory mere seconds before halftime, capitalizing on a precise wide pass from Salah Mohsen to find the back of the net.

Masry asserted their dominance in the first half, squandering two clear scoring opportunities through Mido Gaber and Salah Mohsen, only to be thwarted by Zamalek's goalkeeper.

To turn the tide, Zamalek coach Jose Gomes summoned veteran Ahmed 'Zizo' Sayed from the bench at the onset of the second half, replacing Mostafa Shalaby.

Zamalek's resurgence was evident after Zizo's introduction. Nasser Maher's header inside the box was denied by the crossbar, and goalkeeper Mahmoud Gad blocked a strike by substitute Konrad Michalak in the 70th minute.

Despite Zamalek dominating the second half, Masry's resolute defence consistently foiled their offensive manoeuvres.

Following Saturday's loss, Zamalek is in fifth place in the standings with six points. In comparison, Masry is in third place with seven points after completing three matches in the revamped format introduced by the Egyptian Pro League (EPL).

The 2024/2025 Egyptian Premier League season kicked off in late October. The Egyptian Pro League (EPL) introduced a revamped format to address prior issues and ensure a seamless and timely conclusion to the tournament.

Both teams are set to embark on their continental campaigns in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage on Wednesday.

Zamalek are scheduled to take on Black Bulls of Mozambique, while Masry will face Enyimba of Nigeria.

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