CAF Confederation Cup
Already-qualified Zamalek eye extending unbeaten Confederation Cup run against Enyimba
Defending champions Zamalek will look to cap off their CAF Confederation Cup group stage campaign with a victory when they face Nigeria’s Enyimba at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday.
Zamalek aim to maintain their unbeaten streak in the competition.
The Cairo giants have already secured their place in the quarterfinals, topping Group D with 11 points from an impressive five-match unbeaten run (three wins and two draws), scoring eight goals and conceding just three.
Zamalek head into the match on the back of a commanding 3-1 victory over Mozambique’s Black Bulls last Sunday, with young striker Hossam Ashraf netting his first-ever continental brace and star playmaker Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed adding a third.
Despite sealing their qualification, Zamalek’s Swiss coach, Christian Gross, has stressed that his team remain fully focused on securing a win against Enyimba, underlining the importance of maintaining momentum in continental competitions.
“Our goal is to win every match, and we know tomorrow’s opponent will not be easy. Continental matches are always important, and we must approach them with the right mentality,” Gross said during the pre-match press conference.
“Finding the balance between defense and attack is one of the most challenging aspects of football, and it requires a lot of work. We are addressing our shortcomings and striving to improve,” he added.
Zamalek will be without several key players who sustained injuries, including Abdallah El-Said, Nasser Maher, Mahmoud ‘El-Wensh’ Hamdi, Ahmed Hamdi, and Mohamed Hamdi.
However, Gross sees an opportunity to give other players a chance to shine.
“We still have 24 hours to prepare, and I’m monitoring the condition of the injured players. There may be some adjustments to the formation during the match, but I’m confident in the focus and readiness of every player involved,” the 70-year-old coach said.
He added, “As for the next round, our focus is solely on tomorrow’s match. We’ll be ready for any opponent in the quarterfinals.”
Meanwhile, Enyimba face a must-win situation to keep their hopes of advancing alive.
The Nigerian side currently sit third in Group D with five points. They are one point behind second-placed Masry, who are expected to push for the final qualification spot when they face bottom-placed Black Bulls simultaneously.
Enyimba’s mission is clear: only a victory will give them a chance to progress, setting the stage for a high-stakes clash against the group leaders.
Zamalek, however, will be determined to continue their dominant form and head confidently into the knockout stages.
-Ahram
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CAF Confederation Cup
Zamalek technical director worries over tactical crisis ahead of Enyimba clash
As the curtain falls on the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday with Group D leaders, Zamalek hosting desperate Enyimba of Nigeria, the Egyptian outfit’s technical director, Christian Gross, a Swiss has said that he is looking forward to winning the match despite having already qualified for the next round.
Gross, according to Egyptian publication, Al-Masry Al Youm, remarked at a press conference that his goal was to win all matches. “But we know that the opponent is not easy, and matches in the African Championship are important and must be won.”
The technical director said: “We still have 24 hours to prepare for tomorrow’s match, and I am following up on the condition of the injured players, and there may be some changes to the team’s lineup during the match, and our goal is to achieve victory,
Gross continued, “The most difficult thing in football is to create a balance between defence and attack, and that requires a lot of work, but we are working on addressing the negatives at the moment.”
Regarding Zamalek’s expected competitor in the next round, he said, “We are focusing on tomorrow’s match, and we are ready for any competitor in the next round.
Zamalek will host its Nigerian counterpart, Enyimba, at 5 pm (Nigerian time) tomorrow, Sunday, at Cairo International Stadium, in the sixth round of the group stage matches of the African Confederation Cup.
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CAF Confederation Cup
Zamalek suffer injury and suspension blows before Confederation Cup clash with Enyimba
Four key players may not feature for Zamalek when they take on Nigeria’s Enyimba in Cairo on Sunday. Three of them are sidelined owing to injury.
The fourth, Nabil Imad Donga, the team’s midfielder, will miss the match owing to suspension due to the accumulation of yellow cards.
The injured players are Mohamed El-Sayed, Abdullah El-Saeed and Mahmoud Hamdy “El-Wensh.”
Al-Wensh suffers from a bruise on the lower thigh and knee. He, according to an Egyptian publication, Dostor, went through rehabilitation training on the sidelines in Friday’s training session.
On the other hand, Mohamed El-Sayed, complained of pain in the internal ligament of his knee, making his chances of participating in the match against Enyimba difficult.
Abdullah El-Saeed suffered a bruise on the anterior muscle.
Dr. Mohamed Osama, head of the Zamalek team’s medical staff, confirmed that Mohamed El-Sayed underwent a knee X-ray that proved his safety, and the medical staff preferred to develop a rehabilitation program to prepare him for the current period.
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Pierre Ghislain Atcho who officiated Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in last year’s World Cup qualifying duel will officiate the Zamalek versus Enyimba Confederation Cup match in Cairo on Sunday.
He will be assisted by his compatriot Boris Marles Ditsoga and Cameroonian Karen Atizampong Foko as assistants, while Gabonese Tanguy Patrice Mebeami will be the fourth official.
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