Al Ahly coach: “We controlled Zamalek game from the 12th minute until the end”

Al Ahly coach Emad El Nahhas admitted his team lacked balance in the opening 10 minutes of their 2-1 victory over rivals Zamalek in the Nile Egyptian League. The Red Devils overturned a 1-0 deficit to claim a famous win at the Cairo International Stadium in Round 9.

Speaking in the post-match press conference, El Nahhas said, according to Yallakora:
“I congratulate Al Ahly and its fans who were waiting for this match. I thank all the players for their efforts, as well as the board and the technical staff for bearing the pressure. We won with both result and performance, despite conceding two dangerous chances in the first 10 minutes. Over the past days we spoke with the players about calmness, focus, and how to come back if we went behind—just like what happened today.”

Al Ahly coach continued:
“From the 12th minute onwards, Al Ahly controlled the game until the final whistle. We changed our system to three defenders after Hossam Abdelmaguid was pushed forward as a striker. Hopefully, this victory will be the start of a better period for us.”

On the key to winning, he explained:
“Big matches are decided by small details. We focused on those details and our determination to win was the main reason for today’s result.”

Regarding striker Mohamed Sherif, El Nahhas said:
“Even if Sherif didn’t score, he created today. Scoring goals is down to God’s will, but he controlled the ball well and played an important pass in the penalty incident. Some people wondered why Geradishar was substituted in the previous match, but he was injured. We had many absences, but victory makes people forget that.”

He added:
“We don’t leave anything to chance, especially regarding substitutions. We chose Omar Kamal for his quality in transitions, and I thank my staff for their support.”

Assessing the performance, the Al Ahly coach stated:
“This was our best match of the season. We only lacked focus in the first 10 minutes.”

On Zizo’s request to play, El Nahhas explained:
“Ahmed Sayed Zizo asked to participate against Zamalek, so he joined training. But it was not enough time, and we should not repeat past mistakes. The same applies to Afsha—we must protect our players. Zizo was not part of the squad for this match.”

Speaking about the pressure on his staff, Al Ahly coach noted:
“The greatest pressure was on the coaching staff. We tried not to show it to the players. We took charge in difficult circumstances, but this is our fate as sons of Al Ahly.”

Addressing the possibility of a new coach, he said:
“I will work for Al Ahly even if it’s for one hour. We are doing our duty to make things better for the future. If a new coach comes, he is welcome. If not, this is a matter for the board.”

Al Ahly coach concluded:
“We must impose calmness and a stronger desire for victories after today’s result, in order to keep producing positive results.”

Watch full highlights of Al Ahly Vs. Zamalek Derby:

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