The stadium buzzes with excitement as fans fill the stands. A large red and black banner, proudly sponsored by Betway Arabia, stretches across the seats, displaying an eagle and Arabic text. Under the bright floodlights, the night scene is electrifying.

Source: Alamy Stock Photo

A Major Egyptian Super Cup Final between Al Ahly and Zamalek

The iconic rivals Al Ahly and Zamalek have booked their place in the Egyptian Super Cup final, set to be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Al Ahly secured their spot with a 2-1 victory over Ceramica Cleopatra, while Zamalek defeated Pyramids on penalties (5-4) after a 1-1 draw in the semifinals on Sunday.

The Egyptian Super Cup features four clubs: Al Ahly (the league champions), Pyramids (the Egypt Cup champions), Ceramica Cleopatra (the League Cup winners), and Zamalek, who were granted a special invitation to compete in the competition.

The final showdown will take place next Thursday at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, while the third-place playoff between Pyramids and Ceramica Cleopatra will precede it at Al Nahyan Stadium.

This clash is a rematch of last month’s African Super Cup final in Riyadh, where Zamalek triumphed over Al Ahly on penalties after another 1-1 draw.

Al Ahly, the record holders with 14 Super Cup titles, aim to secure their fourth consecutive win, while Zamalek are chasing their fifth title, having last lifted the trophy in 2020.

The Fastest Goal in History

At Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ahly struggled to secure their place in the final, as Ceramica Cleopatra looked the stronger side, especially in the first half. However, Ceramica wasted numerous scoring chances, while Al Ahly were affected by the absence of several key players, a result of tactical choices made by Swiss coach Marcel Koller.

Al Ahly’s goals came from Taher Mohamed Taher (1’, 54’), while South African Fakhri Lakay scored for Ceramica Cleopatra (45+3).

Notably, Al Ahly scored their first goal just 11 seconds into the match when Taher capitalized on a defensive error by Ceramica Cleopatra, heading the ball past goalkeeper Mohamed Bassam to give Al Ahly an early lead.

Taher’s goal became the fastest in the history of the competition since it began in 2001.

Reflecting on the victory, Koller stated: “The coaching staff is continuously addressing areas of improvement. Our players have the experience, but we need to stay focused and give our all to reach our best form.”

The Swiss coach added: “The team is happy to play at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, where Al Ahly has achieved many wins, but everyone needs to give their maximum effort in the final against Zamalek.”

Koller acknowledged the physical toll of the match, which saw several substitutions due to injuries. He explained that Moroccan defender Achraf Dari was sidelined as a precaution to avoid further fitness issues.

Looking ahead, Koller added: “The final will be a tough contest, but we’re fully motivated. I have full confidence in the players’ ability to rise to the occasion.”

He also confirmed: “We were affected by the heat and humidity, but we have time to prepare the players to cope with these conditions and reach our best performance in the upcoming match.”

Awaad, the Hero Once Again

At Al Nahyan Stadium, Zamalek advanced to the final by defeating Pyramids on penalties, following a match that saw two goals. Ahmed Adel scored for the losing side (14’), while Tunisian Seifeddine Jaziri equalized for the victors (40’).

Having led his team to victory over Al Ahly in the African Super Cup on September 27, goalkeeper Mohamed Awaad played a starring role again. The shot-stopper saved two crucial penalties, including the penalty kick taken by Mostafa Fathi, in addition to saving a penalty earlier in the match when the teams were tied 1-1.

“We came into the game still riding the high of our African Super Cup win,” Awaad admitted. “But when Pyramids took the lead, we quickly recovered because we felt the game was slipping out of our hands.”

He added: “We have another final in front of us, and if we want to lift the trophy, we need to be at our very best and fight until the end for our fans.”