Zamalek coach: “We could have scored 4 goals against Kaizer Chiefs in the first half”

Moatamed Gamal, Zamalek coach, expressed his happiness after his side’s 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs, a result that secured qualification to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Speaking during the post-match press conference, Gamal admitted the game was very difficult.

“The match was very tough, and I warned the players about that, especially since Kaizer Chiefs had monitored us in our recent league game against Smouha.”

He added that the team was determined to give maximum effort and deliver their best performance against a strong opponent who had enjoyed more rest ahead of the encounter.

The Zamalek coach refused to make excuses despite the pressure surrounding the team in recent weeks.

“I do not want to talk about justifications or excuses despite the difficult pressures on the team and technical staff. I always say that the team lacks no player. Zamalek are one of the best teams in Egypt, and the failure to sign players in January due to the transfer ban does not mean the squad has deficiencies.”

Gamal stressed that his objective is to get the best out of every player in each match, revealing that Zamalek could have scored up to four goals in the first half.

He also praised Juan Bezerra’s recent performances in the playmaker role in the absence of Abdallah El-Said, highlighting the squad rotation policy.

“Bezerra played as a playmaker in the last two matches and performed very well. We followed a rotation policy. Ahmed Sherif did not start against Smouha but featured today, and we introduced seven new players in the last league match.”

Tactically, Gamal explained that the team focused on attacking through central areas, something they had worked on extensively in training. He confirmed that clear recovery plans are in place for injured players, with careful consideration of age, injury status, and playing minutes.

The Zamalek boss reserved special praise for the club’s supporters:

“Zamalek fans are the best in the world. We aim to repay them — it is the least we can offer. Any fans in the world might stop attending during poor results, except Zamalek’s supporters who always show up in large numbers.”

He described the chants from fans as one of the happiest moments of his life, saying he watches videos of their support whenever he feels down.

Gamal also revealed that Ahmed Fattouh and Mahmoud Bentayg could return in the upcoming Egypt Cup match against Ceramica Cleopatra, pending fitness assessments. He emphasized that youth players will continue to play a role even after injured players return.

He concluded by thanking Zamalek legends for attending the match and maintaining daily communication with him, noting that their presence would have been even greater had the game been played in Cairo.

Zamalek defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium in the sixth and final group-stage round, raising their tally to 11 points, topping the group and advancing to the quarter-finals in strong fashion.

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