adminEGYPTIAN side Zamalek will head to Saturday’s African Champions’ League final against Mamelodi Sundowns in Atteridgeville with eight players who have returned from international duty‚ having travelled up and down the continent for a 2018 World Cup assignment over the last days.
Egypt coach Hector Cup fielded four players from the club on Sunday as they beat Congo 2-1 to start the group phase of their World Cup qualifying campaign on a winning note.
Defenders Islam Gamal and Ali Gabr‚ and midfielder Tarek Hamed played the full 90 minutes for the Pharaohs in Brazzaville in their Group E qualifier as they came from behind to win.
Striker Bassem Morsi‚ who will be Zamalek’s lead attacker against Mamelodi Sundowns in the two legs of the final‚ was taken off with some 15 minutes left of Sunday’s game.
The other four Zamalek players, Ahmed Dwidar‚ Mostafa Fathi‚ Ibrahim Salah and goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy, were in the squad that travelled down from Cairo to Congo and flew back again yesterday.
The Zamalek contingent will now have to turn around again and head south once more for Saturday’s first leg of the final against Sundowns‚ which has been set for 3PM at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
The exertions of all the travel is likely to be tempered by the delight for the Egyptians at taking three away points from a difficult World Cup tie.
Zamalek go into the final having played just one domestic league match since the new season started in Egypt last month.
They beat Al Nasr Taaden 2-0 almost some two weeks ago. — TMG Digital
Online Reporter