CAIRO – The 2024–2025 Egypt Capital Cup, now in its fourth consecutive edition, has continued to shake up the domestic football scene following the conclusion of the group stage.
In a shocking turn of events, traditional powerhouses Al-Ahly, Zamalek, and Pyramids FC have all been eliminated early, clearing the way for eight clubs to secure their spots in the quarter-finals.
Ceramica Cleopatra, Talae El-Geish, Petrojet, Modern Sport, NBE Club, Enppi, Haras El-Hodoud, and Ismaily are the teams set to battle it out for a place in the semi-finals.
Ceramica Cleopatra 4–0 ZED
Ceramica Cleopatra secured their place in the quarter-finals with a dominant 4-0 victory over ZED FC at the Arab Contractors Stadium.
Central midfielder Mohamed Reda opened the scoring in the fourth minute, followed by a second goal from left winger Zalaka in the 15th minute. Midfielder Ibrahim Mohamed extended the lead with a third goal in the 22nd minute, and Moroccan winger Ahmed Belhadji completed the scoring with a fourth goal in the 84th minute.
Talae el-Geish 1–0 Enppi
Talae el-Geish edged past Enppi with a 1-0 victory at the Sports Authority Stadium, thanks to a second-half strike from defender Ahmed Alaa in the 60th minute.
The win takes Talae el-Geish to 7 points, securing the top spot in Group C. Enppi remains second with 6 points. Despite the defeat, both sides advance to the Round of 16 in the Egypt Capital Cup.
Al-Ahly 1–2 Pharco
Al-Ahly’s Egypt Capital Cup campaign came to an early end following a 2-1 defeat to Pharco FC at Al-Salam Stadium. After falling short in their previous two matches against Talae El-Geish and Enppi, the Red Devils bowed out without collecting a single point.
Fielding their 2005 squad with a few first-team returnees, Al-Ahly found the net in the second half through Mohamed Reda, assisted by Ali Maaloul. However, Pharco had already taken control in the first half with goals from Amr Nasser and Abdel Rahman Ashri.
Pharco finish with 4 points but also exit the competition, as Talae el-Geish and Enppi clinch the two qualification spots from Group C.
Zamalek 1–0 Smouha
Despite a 1–0 win over Smouha at Borg El-Arab Stadium, Zamalek crashed out of the Egypt Capital Cup.
The Whites needed a two-goal margin to advance, assuming Modern Sport and El-Gouna ended in a draw—exactly what happened.
Zamalek’s goal came in the 22nd minute when striker Nasser Mansi nodded home a pinpoint cross. Initially ruled out for interference with the goalkeeper, the goal was awarded following a VAR review.
This marks Zamalek’s second exit in a week after their 1–0 loss to South African side Stellenbosch on April 9 saw them bow out of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Zamalek finished third in Group A with five points, behind Petrojet and Modern Sport, who both advanced.
Modern 0–0 El-Gouna
Modern Sport clinched a spot in the quarter-finals of the Egypt Capital Cup after a goalless draw with El-Gouna at Khaled Beshara Stadium.
The result lifted Modern Sport to five points, enough to secure qualification on goal difference ahead of both Zamalek and El-Gouna.
El-Hodoud 2–0 Pyramids
Haras El-Hodoud dominated Pyramids FC with a 2–0 victory at Max Stadium in Alexandria.
Left winger Mahmoud Ouka opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime, while Cameroonian striker Franck Etouga doubled the lead in the 77th minute.
The win solidifies El-Hodoud’s position at the top of Group D with nine points, eliminating Pyramids, who remain stuck at four points in third place.
Ismaily 2–0 Al-Ittihad
Ismaily sealed their place in the Egypt Capital Cup quarter-finals after a convincing 2–0 win over Al-Ittihad of Alexandria at the Suez Canal Authority Stadium.
Capitalizing on Pyramids’ defeat, Ismaily advanced on goal difference after both sides finished level on points.
Left winger Mohamed Wagdi broke the deadlock in the 66th minute with a stunning solo effort, curling a surprise cross into the net.
Eight minutes later, midfielder Emad Hamdy fired home from close range after a defensive error on a corner kick, securing the win.
Tournament format
The 2024–25 Egypt Capital Cup features 18 participating clubs divided into four groups.
Group A includes Zamalek, El-Gouna, Petrojet, Modern Sport, and Smouha.
Group B consists of Ceramica Cleopatra, Al-Masry, ZED FC, NBE Club, and Ghazl El-Mahalla.
Group C features Al-Ahly, Talae el-Geish, Enppi, and Pharco FC.
Group D comprises Pyramids FC, Al-Ittihad of Alexandria, Ismaily, and Haras el-Hodoud.
Key dates
The quarter-finals will follow a home-and-away format, with the first-leg scheduled for April 22–23 and the second-leg on May 20–21.
The semi-finals will also be played over two legs, with the first-leg taking place on June 7 and the second on June 10.
The tournament will culminate with the final match on Saturday, June 14.
Prize Distribution
The Egypt Capital Cup offers substantial financial rewards, distributed as follows:
• Champion: EGP 10 million
• Runner-up: EGP 4 million
• Third place: EGP 2 million
• Fourth place: EGP 1.5 million
