CAIRO – The 2024–25 Egypt Capital Cup semi-finals got off to a thrilling start, with Ceramica Cleopatra and NBE Club seizing crucial first-leg victories as the race for a spot in the June 12 final intensifies.
With composure, tactical maturity, and late-match heroics, the semi-finalists—Ceramica, NBE Club, Enppi, and Ismaily—showcased the grit and resilience required in knockout football.
Both ties remain finely poised heading into the decisive second-legs on June 8, where the finalists will be determined.
NBE Club 2–1 Enppi
NBE Club snatched a dramatic 2–1 win over Enppi at Cairo International Stadium, thanks to a stoppage-time strike from forward Osama Faisal.
Striker Ahmed Yasser Rayan opened the scoring for NBE in the 30th minute, but Enppi responded swiftly through forward Ahmed Zaki just seven minutes later.
With the match seemingly headed for a draw, Faisal delivered the killer blow in the 90th minute, handing the advantage to the Bankers ahead of the return leg.
NBE booked their semi-final ticket after a narrow 1–0 second-leg win over Modern Sport at Al-Salam Stadium, securing a 2–1 aggregate triumph. Faisal was the hero then too, finding the net in the 17th minute after a chaotic goalmouth scramble.
Enppi, meanwhile, advanced to the final four despite a 1–0 loss to Haras El-Hodood in the return leg of their quarter-final clash. A dramatic stoppage-time goal by Hazem Mohamed wasn’t enough to overturn Enppi’s 2–1 first-leg lead.
Ceramica 2–0 Ismaily
Ceramica Cleopatra took a strong step toward a third straight Egypt Capital Cup final, defeating Ismaily 2–0 away in a composed and clinical first-leg display.
The opener came early in the 7th minute following a dangerous corner kick. Moroccan winger Ahmed Belhadji’s initial attempt was blocked, but Amr Qalawa pounced on the rebound to fire home.
Ismaily struggled to break down Ceramica’s disciplined backline. Their best chance—a deep free kick—was calmly dealt with by keeper Mohamed Bassam.
Ceramica sealed the win late, as Marwan Othman’s dazzling run down the left flank ended with a pinpoint pass to Belhaj, who tapped in his side’s second in the 88th minute.
The reigning champions had advanced to the semis with a 4–1 win over Petrojet in the first-leg of the quarters. Despite a 1–0 loss in the return fixture, Ceramica progressed on aggregate.
Ismaily reached the semi-finals the hard way, edging past Talae el-Geish on penalties (5–4) after both legs ended goalless.
Prize money breakdown
The Egypt Capital Cup continues to offer one of the most lucrative prize pools in domestic football, with a total of EGP 25 million up for grabs this season.
Champion: EGP 10 million
Runner-up: EGP 4 million
Third place: EGP 2 million
Fourth place: EGP 1.5 million
Each participating club: EGP 400,000
Ceramica Cleopatra enters the semi-finals as two-time defending champions, having clinched back-to-back titles against Al-Masry of Port Said and Talae el-Geish. Modern Sport claimed the inaugural edition of the tournament.
