Obama (C) scored twice against Maqassa in the Egypt Cup quarters (Ahram)
Two second-half goals from Youssef 'Obama' Ibrahim helped Zamalek to a 2-0 victory over Maqassa as they eased into the Egypt Cup semi-final on Tuesday.
The playmaker made the most of two inviting crosses from veteran left-back Mohamed Abdel-Shafi as Zamalek, who temporarily lead the Egyptian Premier League table, maintained their hopes of a domestic double.
Maqassa hardly put up a fight in a one-sided affair. Both sides meet again on Monday in the Premier League.
Zamalek will meet Aswan in the semi-final of the Egypt Cup, the country's oldest football competition.
Moroccan winger Achraf Bencharki, Zamalek's top scorer this season, went close twice in the first half, volleying over the bar after being picked out unmarked by a cross from Obama and having a goal-bound angled shot blocked by a defender.
Tunisian international Seifeddine Jaziri, who is cementing his place as Zamalek's first-choice striker, wasted another chance on 32 minutes when he headed just wide following another cross from the right.
Despite Zamalek's utter dominance, they were almost taken by surprise three minutes later when a rare foray forward saw Maqassa's Ahmed Adel break clear following a threaded pass that beat the offside trap, only to fire over the bar with only the keeper to beat.
Zamalek finally broke the deadlock on 57 minutes as Obama sent a superb left-foot volley into the roof of the net after Jaziri chested Abdel-Shafi's cross into his path to finish off a flowing team move.
Four minutes later, Obama rose above his marker to head home another Abdel-Shafi center.
Both sides had further chances to score but Zamalek held firm to advance.
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