The White Knights will be without their first star, Ahmed 'Zizo' Sayed , who is sidelined for around two weeks due to a muscle injury.

The international winger sustained a hamstring injury during Zamalek's 3-2 victory over NBE Club in the domestic league opener last week.

Veteran midfielder Abdallah El-Saed snatched the winner with a last-gasp penalty.

El-Saed and lively forward Nasser Maher, who also found the net against NBE Club, will lead Zamalek's attack in Zizo's absence.

Polish winger Konrad Michalak, who has yet to convince, is expected to fill in for Zizo on the right flank.

The return of left winger Mostafa Shalabi will be positive news for Zamalek coach Jose Gomes.

Shalabi and defensive midfielder Nabil 'Dunga' Emad, who missed the NBE Club game, will be available for Friday's game.

However, for technical reasons, Tunisian striker Seif Jaziri has been omitted from the line-up.

The upcoming match challenges Gomes and his team due to Smouha's strength and Zamalek's unconvincing performance against NBE Club.

On the other hand, Smouha made a strong start by defeating promoted side Haras El-Hodoud 3-1 in the league opener.

Eager to improve their 6th-place finish from last season, Smouha aims for a better performance this term.

Coach Ahmed Sami, known for his success against top-flight teams, has selected a strong lin-eup featuring key players like Moroccan winger Abdelkabir El Ouadi, international midfielder Mahmoud Saber, and experienced striker Hossam Hassan.

In their previous encounter, the Alexandria-based side secured a 1-0 victory over Zamalek, and they will be hoping for a similar result on Friday.

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