Enyimba have ended their continental campaign this season after losing 3-1 to Confederation Cup defending champions, Zamalek of Egypt in Cairo.

The hope of getting into the quarter-finals vanished following the loss and the victory of the other Egyptian side in Group D, Al-Masry who also beat Mozambique’s Black Bulls by 3-1.

Enyimba ended their group stage campaign with six points to place third.  

The two Egyptian sides, Zamalek and Al-Masry advanced with 14 and nine points respectively.

Enyimba could not capitalise on a depleted Zamalek who played without seven of their regular players.

Despite not having much at stake having qualified before the match and having to step down their potential strength, Zamalek opened the match with ferocity in search of an early goal.  

Enyimba relied mainly on defensive security and resorting to counterattacks.

Zamalek’s first chance came in the 10th minute, but Mohamed Atef’s shot from outside the penalty area was saved by the Enyimba’s goalkeeper.

Then followed another attack in the 14th- minute as Mustafa Shalaby fired a powerful shot that went next to the left post of Enyimba’s goal.

Al-Jaziri almost put Zamalek ahead in the 22nd minute with a header, but the ball went past the right post of the visitors’ goal.

In the 29th minute, Mostafa Shalaby succeeded in scoring the opening goal for Zamalek after receiving a cross from Zizo and meeting it with a direct header to the right of the goalkeeper.

Tunisian Seif Jaziri wasted a clear opportunity for the Whites in the 31st minute with a header that went next to the right post of the Nigerian team’s goalkeeper, before Jaziri wasted another opportunity in the 36th minute with a header.

Enyimba players resorted to shooting from outside the penalty area to hit Zamalek’s defence.  

At the beginning of the second half, Zamalek intensified attempts and Seif El-Jaziri succeeded in scoring the second goal in the 48th minute after he took advantage of a mistake by the Enyimba goalkeeper, took the ball from him and shot it into the empty goal.

Mohamed Sobhi shone in the 54th minute, blocking a powerful shot from outside Zamalek’s penalty area.

In the 57th minute, Ifeanyi Ihemekwele scored Enyimba’s  goal with a shot from inside Zamalek’s penalty area.

In the 88th minute, Seif El Jaziri scored Zamalek’s third goal with an individual effort after he dribbled past Enyimba’s defence line and shot the ball into an empty net.

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Enyimba could capitalise on a weakened Zamalek squad when they clash in Cairo on Sunday evening in a closing Group D match of the CAF Confederation Cup.

At least five regular players have been confirmed by Zamalek as unlikely to feature in the match which Enyimba hope to win and expect Al-Masry to drop points in a corresponding match with Mozambique’s Black Bulls.

Zamalek will be without Mahmoud Hamdi El-Wensh, Abdullah El-Saeed, Ahmed Hamdi, Nasser Maher, and Mostafa El-Zenary due to injury.

The sixth player,  Mohamed Hamdi due to lack of readiness, and Nabil Emad Donga due to suspension over to the accumulation of yellow cards.

The technical staff will rely on some substitutes in today’s match in light of the absences that the white team has suffered from recently.

In contrast, the Nigerian team Enyimba is looking forward to achieving victory to hold on to the hope of qualifying for the quarterfinals if Al-Masry loses to the Mozambican team Black Bulls.

The technical staff was keen to prepare the players for the match, and stressed the difficulty of the match, especially since Zamalek will play the match on its home field and among its fans.

Stanley Eguma, Enyimba’s coach, stressed the importance of the match and confirmed that Zamalek will not be affected by the absences in the team’s ranks.

The technical staff of the Nigerian team relies on its players such as Henry Ani in goal, Owana Enwu, Somiari Alaliyu, Chikamosu, Chimeri Okadeke in defence, Innocent Oke, Nweke Kalu, Elijah Akanni in midfield, and Joseph Atwoli, Ifeanyi, Akinyi Awaze in the attack.

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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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