Game K.O. at 19:00 Cairo local time | 12:00 ET Canada-USA
Venue: Baba Yara Stadium (Kumasi)
First leg result: Zamalek 0-0
Zamalek will be focused on sidestepping any jitters that might lead to costly mistakes in the African Confederation Cup semifinal clash against Dreams FC of Ghana in the upcoming Sunday’s second leg match.
Zamalek had anticipated a straightforward advancement to the second leg following their goalless draw against Dreams FC in the away match. Yet, they found themselves facing intense pressure in the return fixture.
During the first-leg encounter in Cairo, Zamalek missed numerous clear-cut goal-scoring chances, necessitating the avoidance of defeat in Ghana to clinch a spot in the final of the competition.
Now, they are determined to showcase their superiority against the Ghanaian team, which is expected to utilize home-field advantage in their bid to secure a berth in the secondary continental tournament.
The Whites’ team will get a lift with the comeback of left-back Ahmed Fattouh, right-back Omar Gaber, and winger Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed, all of whom have healed from their injuries. Unfortunately, Zamalek’s star player Mahmoud ‘Shikabala’ Abdel-Razek has been sidelined due to a muscle injury suffered during training in Ghana.
Zamalek’s Portuguese coach, Jose Gomes, recognized the hurdles awaiting them in the second leg, including the sweltering heat, high humidity, and the state of the Ghanaian pitches.
In the meantime, Dreams FC coach Karim Zito disclosed on Friday that he’s meticulously readying his players for the prospect of a penalty shootout against Zamalek.
“In our last penalty shootouts, only three out of twenty-four players failed to score, so we are ready if it comes down to penalties,” Zito stated during an interview with Kumasi-based Akoma FM.
He added: “However, we are hoping to secure qualification in regulation time on Sunday.”
