Match K.O. 20:00 Cairo local time | 13:00 ET Canada-USA
Venue: Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi)
Referee: Amin Omar
Zamalek will be aiming for an upset as they face Ahly in the Egyptian Super Cup final in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
The White Knights head into Thursday’s game after a turbulent three days, dealing with the detention of winger Mostafa Shalabi, midfielder Nabil ‘Dunga’ Emad, and the club’s football director, Abdel-Wahed El-Sayed, in an Emirati jail. The trio was arrested following incidents during Zamalek’s victory over Pyramids FC in the Super Cup semi-final on Sunday.
The cause of the incident remains unclear, though video footage captures an altercation between the players and security personnel. The three Zamalek members were referred to an urgent trial by prosecutors on Wednesday. However, the trial was postponed to 29 October, and the trio was ordered to remain in detention until then.
On Monday, the club threatened to boycott the final, with an official spokesperson announcing that management was still considering their options.
Despite the turmoil, delegation president El-Mandouh El-Hosseiny confirmed that Zamalek would proceed with the final as planned.
“Yes, the players have been impacted by the incidents, but we will play the game as scheduled,” El-Hosseiny told reporters on Wednesday.
“I am confident that, with their experience, the players can handle the situation and move past these events.”
Ahly may seem more composed than Zamalek, but they also struggled in their semi-final against Ceramica Cleopatra on Sunday. Despite a 2-1 victory, their opponents dominated most of the statistics, with the result being the only exception.
Swiss coach Marcel Koller faced heavy criticism after making several changes to his lineup, opting to rest key players Marwan Atteya, Hussein El-Shahat, and Wessam Abou Ali. With the team underperforming, Koller was forced to bring the trio on in the second half to secure the win.
Koller has been under scrutiny since Ahly’s loss to Zamalek in the CAF Super Cup in September, with many fans criticizing his management for allowing the opponent to control large portions of that match.
Koller will have a full squad available for the final, with the exception of the defensive pair, Moroccan Achraf Dari and Khaled Abdel-Fattah, who are sidelined.
The Red Devils will be eager to avenge their CAF Super Cup loss and claim a record 15th Egyptian Super Cup title.
Ahly and Zamalek have faced each other eight times in the Super Cup, with Ahly winning six of those encounters and Zamalek victorious in two. Their most recent meeting in the competition saw Ahly secure a 2-0 win over their archrivals.
LIVE: Al Ahly v Zamalek | Egyptian Super Cup final
Match K.O. 20:00 Cairo local time | 13:00 ET Canada-USA
