Zamalek v Rangers | CAF Champions League | Match Preview
Match Info:
CAF Champions League Round of 32
Time: 18:00 Cairo Local Time
Venue: Al-Salam Stadium Cairo
LIVE ON NileSports.com
Last season’s Champions League runners-up Zamalek will kick off their African campaign when they host Nigerian league holders Enugu Rangers in the competition’s round of 32 first leg at Cairo’s El-Salam Stadium on Sunday.
Having failed to clinch their sixth Champions League trophy when they succumbed to a 3-1 aggregate defeat to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns last season, Zamalek will be hoping things would go their way this time around.
The Cairo giants will be boosted by 5,000 fans cheering on them from the stands, with Mansour’s appeal to increase the number of home supporters has been rejected.
On the pitch, the game may witness the long-awaited comeback from injury of left-back Mohamed Nassef – whose absence forced Zamalek manager Mohamed Helmi to field the right-footed Hosni Fathi instead in recent league fixtures.
Zamalek will, however, miss the services of winger Ahmed Refaat and midfielder Mahmoud ‘Dunga’ Abdel-Aati due to injuries, with the absence of defenders Ahmed Tawfik and Mahmoud Hamdi also continuing.
Manager Helmi, whose future has come under scrutiny of late, should find no problem selecting his best attackers on Sunday, with Zamalek enjoying a clean bill of health in their attacking department.
Seven-time Nigerian champions Rangers, who were founded in 1970, overcame Algeria’s JS Saoura on away goals in the preliminary round en route to their clash with five-time champions Zamalek.
Match Preview with Ahmed Shoubier
