ABU DHABI — Al-Ahly clinched the Egyptian Super Cup after a dramatic 7-6 victory over Zamalek in a tense penalty shootout. The match, held at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, ended in a goalless draw after both regular and extra time, setting the stage for the decisive penalty shootout.
Al-Ahly celebrated its 15th Egyptian Super Cup title, further solidifying its status as the most successful club in the tournament’s history.
The Red Devils bounced back from their recent African Super Cup defeat to Zamalek in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with this triumphant victory in the Egyptian Super Cup.
Captain and goalkeeper Mohamed el-Shenawy emerged as the hero for Al-Ahly, saving two crucial penalties to secure the victory in a tense 7-6 shootout, ensuring the team’s triumph in the Egyptian Super Cup.
Al-Ahly’s winger Tahir Muhammad Tahir received the Top Scorer award of the tournament, with a total of two goals, which he scored in the 2-1 victory over Ceramica Cleopatra in the semi-finals.
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While Zamalek’s winger Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” won the Best Player award, as his teammate Mohamed Awad received the Best Goalkeeper award.
After a tense 120 minutes of action that ended in a goalless draw, followed by nerve-racking penalties, the Red Devils secured the Egyptian Super Cup title for the 15th time in the club’s history and the fourth in a row, after a thrilling game against Zamalek at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in the UAE.
The Red Devils controlled most of the game, nearly scoring within the very first minutes, and throughout the first half, we continued to press heavily, with Wessam Abou Ali and Hussein el-Shahat both coming close to scoring, but their chances didn’t get a happy ending.
The Reds continued to dominate in the second half, though injuries forced head coach Marcel Koller to make substitutions. Reda Slim and Amr el-Soulia came on for Ahmed Nabil Koka and Taher Mohamed, but still, the Eagles struggled to break the deadlock and then the referee blew the whistle for full time, sending the match into extra time.
Marcel Koller made further substitutions in the extra time, bringing in Mohamed Magdy Afsha, Percy Tau and Omar Kamal to inject fresh energy into the attack, along with Youssef Ayman, who made his debut after replacing Ramy Rabia. Despite pushing hard, the Reds still couldn’t find the back of the net, leaving the match to be decided by penalties.
Both teams were nearly perfect in the penalties, but Ahly emerged victorious, winning 7-6 and securing another Egyptian Super Cup title and celebrations started inside the stadium as the Reds lifted the trophy, our first of the season.
Al-Ahly Swiss coach Marcel Koller expressed his happiness after winning the Egyptian Super Cup crown.
“We showed true strength. We had many chances and were not lucky to score, but in the end, we managed to win. Al-Ahly deserves this title, and the players remained focused throughout the entire match,” Koller said.
“We played well and created dangerous chances in the first-half, but we couldn’t score from these opportunities; the match was very difficult,” Koller said in remarks to Abu Dhabi Channel.
“But we couldn’t score from these opportunities; the match was very difficult,” Koller noted. “In the end, we secured victory through penalties.
Al-Ahly has claimed the Egyptian Super Cup title seven times against Zamalek, three times against Enppi, and once each against Ismaili, Haras el-Hodood, Al-Masry of Port Said, Pyramids FC, and Modern Sport.
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“At Al-Ahly, we are required to win every tournament we participate in. We are happy to achieve this title. This achievement gives us a strong boost for the challenges ahead,” the Swiss coach added.
Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed el-Shenawy said that losing a championship as significant as the African Super Cup was not easy. “But we compensated for that loss by winning the Egyptian Super Cup.”
“Al-Ahly fans are never satisfied with titles and always put pressure on us to achieve more,” El-Shenawy explained. Bottom of Form
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“Today we celebrate, but we will quickly shift our focus to the next challenge against Al Ain in the Intercontinental Cup,” El-Shenawy underlined.
“Al Ahly players show their resilience and strength in difficult times,” defender Ramy Rabia added.
“At Al-Ahly, we work hard and don’t talk much. When we lose a title, we don’t look back. Instead, we immediately focus on winning the next one and that’s what happened,” left-winger Yahia Attyiat Allah said.
“We don’t celebrate for too long at Al-Ahly because our mindset is always on the next challenge. Right now, we’re already thinking about the Intercontinental Cup and our match against Al-Ain,” Yahia added.
“I’m very proud to win my first title with Al-Ahly, and I hope this journey continues with more titles. Al-Ahly’s success never stops and I’d love to be an important part of the team’s achievements in all the upcoming competitions,” striker Wessam Abou Ali said.
“The team played a great match, showing strong spirit and determination to win the title and make our loyal fans proud,” Abou Ali added according to the club official website.
“Since joining Al-Ahly, I’ve given my all with full focus. That commitment has helped me perform well and contribute to winning titles with my teammates,” Abou Ali noted.
On the other hand, Zamalek struggled to assert themselves in the first-half, with their only real threat coming from a disallowed goal by Tunisian striker Seifeddine Jaziri in the 27th minute, ruled out for offside after VAR intervention.
The half ended in a goalless draw.
Zamalek showed significant improvement in the second half, trading attacks with Ahly and creating dangerous chances, particularly towards the end of the match.
Zizo unleashed a powerful shot in the 83rd minute, forcing Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy into a brilliant save.
Three minutes later, Seifeddine Jaziri missed a crucial opportunity, sending Zizo’s cross wide of the post.
Neither side managed to score in extra time as fatigue set in, forcing the game into a penalty shootout, where Ahly ultimately triumphed. Meanwhile, Pyramids FC secured third place by defeating Ceramica Cleopatra in a 5-4 penalty shootout at Al-Nahyan Stadium, after the match ended in a 2-2 draw in regular time.
