By Tamer Mohamed
ABU DHABI — Fans are eagerly anticipating an exciting showdown in the final of the Egyptian Super Cup, set for next Thursday in the United Arab Emirates.
Egyptian Premier League giants Al-Ahly will face off against their arch-rivals Zamalek at 8:00pm Cairo Local Time at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, promising a thrilling contest between the two powerhouses of Egyptian football.
Additionally, Ceramica Cleopatra will compete against Pyramids FC in the third-place playoff.
This year’s final is set to be another thrilling showdown between the two Cairo giants, with both Al-Ahly and Zamalek eager to secure another prestigious title in their storied rivalry.
This encounter occurs less than a month after the African Super Cup final, where Zamalek triumphed over Al-Ahly in a tense penalty shootout.
Al-Ahly seeks to rebuild its fans’ trust after their recent loss, while Zamalek aims to secure their second title of the season, fueled by the momentum from their African Super Cup triumph.
Al-Ahly booked their place in the Egyptian Super Cup final after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Ceramica Cleopatra in the semi-final held at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.
Winger Taher Mohamed Taher opened the scoring in just the 11th second, setting a record for the fastest goal in the tournament’s history.
Ceramica Cleopatra responded before halftime, equalizing through South African forward Fakhry Lakay.
However, Al-Ahly regained the lead in the 54th minute, once again through Taher Mohamed, who emerged as the star of the match.
Al-Ahly’s coach Marcel Koller, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance in the semi-final against Ceramica Cleopatra, noting that they had achieved their primary goal by securing a spot in the Egyptian Super Cup final.
Koller said during the post-match press conference that the coaching staff is consistently working on correcting mistakes and enhancing the team’s performance.
“The final will be a tough and challenging match, but we will prepare for it thoroughly. We are highly motivated to win the Super Cup title, and I have great confidence in the players’ ambitions and abilities,” Koller underlined.Bottom of Form
Zamalek, on the other hand, advanced to the final after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Pyramids FC, following a 1-1 draw in regular time.
Pyramids took the lead early in the 14th minute with a goal from striker Ibrahim Adel, but Zamalek equalized before the break with a strike from Tunisian forward Seifeddine Jaziri.
Pyramids missed a crucial penalty in the second half when winger Ramadan Sobhi failed to convert.
With the match tied, the outcome was decided by penalties, where Zamalek triumphed in a scenario reminiscent of their recent African Super Cup victory over Al-Ahly, where they also came from behind and won in a shootout.
At the end of the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, both teams resorted to penalty shootouts to determine who would qualify for the Egyptian Super Cup final.
Zamalek secured their qualification through penalties in a scenario very similar to their victory over their rival Al-Ahly in the African Super Cup last month.
Zamalek’s coach Jose Gomes said during the post-match press conference: “We made a crucial mistake, which Pyramids capitalized on to score the opening goal.”
The Portuguese tactician added that the game was a tough encounter against a very difficult opponent. “At times, we relied on pressing, and we had two chances after the equalizer that we failed to capitalize on.
Gomes further noted, “We are working to prepare Omar Gaber for the final match, and we will monitor Nabil Emad’s condition to determine if he will be able to join the next match or not.”
“Zamalek plays every match only to win and aims to be crowned champions of the Egyptian Super Cup,” concluded Gomes, highlighting the team’s determination ahead of the much-anticipated final.
The tournament is organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the United Sports Company, in collaboration with the UAE and Egyptian Football Associations.
Four teams are competing in the 22nd edition of the Super Cup: Egyptian Premier League champions Al-Ahly, Egyptian Cup winners Pyramids FC, League Cup holders Ceramica Cleopatra, and Zamalek, who received a ‘golden card’ to participate in the competition.
Al-Ahly holds a record 14 Egyptian Super Cup titles, 10 more than their closest competitors, Zamalek.
The Red Devils are now aiming for their fourth consecutive Super Cup crown, having secured the title in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
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