On Monday, Arab Contractors’ Last-Minute Goal Stuns Zamalek, Earning a Dramatic 1-1 Draw and Frustrating the White Knights in Their Campaign Opener.
Youssef “Obama” Ibrahim broke the deadlock for Zamalek in the 83rd minute, but Ahmed Alaa’s 99th-minute goal nullified his effort. This outcome means that the White Knights remain without a victory in their initial two matches of the season, following a 2-2 draw against Pyramids FC last week.
The scrutiny on coach Juan Carlos Osorio has heightened further after their unexpected 2-0 loss to Arta Solar of Djibouti in the Confederation Cup Round of 32.
The Colombian coach made substantial adjustments, making eight changes to the starting lineup compared to the one that played against Pyramids in the season opener.
The first half of the game unfolded rather uneventfully, with both teams adopting a cautious approach in the opening 45 minutes.
Zamalek encountered difficulties in penetrating the solid defense of Arab Contractors, grappling with their physicality.
The second half witnessed a dramatic shift in the game’s dynamics as the White Knights launched an aggressive offensive in their quest for a breakthrough.
Zamalek’s plea for a penalty was dismissed, and they had a goal disallowed after a VAR review. However, their persistence paid off when Youssef “Obama,” who came on as a second-half substitute, connected with a deflected cross from Mostafa Shalaby at the far post in the 83rd minute.
Arab Contractors responded promptly. Ahmed Alaa’s long-range effort struck the post, and Mamadou Niass narrowly missed the target from close range. In the 99th minute, Alaa seized the opportunity when a poorly cleared ball in the box fell to him, allowing him to fire in the equalizer from inside the box, securing his team’s first point of the season.
