CAIRO — The battle for quarter-final spots in Group D of the CAF Confederation Cup has intensified following pivotal fifth-round results. Zamalek and Al-Masry suffered defeats against ZESCO United and Kaizer Chiefs, respectively, escalating the fight for progression.
In the fifth round of CAF Confederation Cup Group D, Kaizer Chiefs secured a 2–1 victory over Al-Masry at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in South Africa, while ZESCO United earned their first win of the group stage, defeating Zamalek 1–0 at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Zambia.
These results have shaken up the group standings, with Kaizer Chiefs moving to the top with 10 points. Zamalek remains in second place on 8 points, followed by Al-Masry with 7 points. ZESCO United sits at the bottom with 3 points, setting up a tense final round of group-stage fixtures.
With Kaizer Chiefs leading the group, Zamalek must win their final group match at home against the South African side next Saturday to secure automatic qualification for the knockout stage.
The final round of Group D promises high stakes: Zamalek must beat Kaizer Chiefs to guarantee progression, while Al-Masry faces a near-impossible task to advance, needing both a win and favourable results elsewhere.
Zamalek targets quarters
If Zamalek defeats Kaizer Chiefs in their final Group D match, they will climb to 11 points and finish at the top of the group, securing a quarter-final berth regardless of the outcome of the Al-Masry vs. ZESCO game.
A draw against Kaizer Chiefs would take Zamalek to 9 points, while the South African side would move to 11 points.
In this scenario, Zamalek would need to wait for the result of Al-Masry vs. ZESCO. A win for Al-Masry would eliminate Zamalek from the tournament, allowing Kaizer Chiefs and Al-Masry to progress to the knockout stage.
Should Zamalek lose to Kaizer Chiefs, their fate will depend entirely on the Al-Masry result. If Al-Masry wins, Zamalek will be eliminated, with Kaizer Chiefs and Al-Masry advancing to the quarter-finals.
Al-Masry quarters quest
If Al-Masry defeats ZESCO United in their final group match, they will rise to 10 points and still depend on Zamalek’s result against Kaizer Chiefs.
Should Zamalek win, Al-Masry will need a high-margin victory to secure qualification, taking goal differences into account—Al-Masry has scored and conceded 7 goals, while Kaizer Chiefs have scored 6 and conceded 4.
A draw against ZESCO would leave Al-Masry on 8 points, keeping them in third place and confirming their elimination from the tournament.
A loss to ZESCO would see Al-Masry exit the competition regardless of any other results, ending their CAF Confederation Cup campaign.
