Zamalek Club defeated its counterpart, Abu Qir Fertilizers Club (2-0), this evening, Thursday, in a match in the 32nd round of the Egypt Cup, held at Cairo International Stadium.
Zamalek clinched its qualification at the expense of Abu Qir Fertilizers, to advance to the round of 16 of the Egypt Cup, for the fifteenth consecutive season, since the upset of Bani Ubaid in the 2008-2009 edition.
Zizou scored Zamalek’s first goal from a free kick in the 21st minute, then Mostafa Shalaby increased Al-Abyad’s lead in the 91st minute. Watch Zizou’s goal here
Ahmed Zizo missed a penalty kick in the 41st minute of the match, after the goalkeeper of Abu Qir Fertilizers successfully saved it. Watch Zamalek’s missed penalty kick here
Zamalek will meet Modern Sport in the quarter-finals of the Egypt Cup, with the date of the match to be determined at a later time.
Match events
Abu Qir Fertilizers threatened Zamalek’s goal from a corner kick, which was blocked by Mohamed Sobhi. Then Al-Abyad tried to surprise with a counterattack launched by Ahmed Zizo, and sent a cross that changed its direction and went towards the goal, but the goalkeeper cleared it.
Ahmed Zizo was able to score Zamalek’s first goal in the 21st minute, from a free kick that he shot and hit the human wall, then entered the Abu Qir Fertilizers net.
Abu Qir Fertilizers almost scored the equalizer in the 27th minute, after a successful penetration attempt reached the team’s striker inside the penalty area, but he did not successfully shoot it on goal.
John Mapicho wasted the opportunity to equalize against Abu Qir Fertilizers, in the 34th minute, after a special statement that turned into a cross, and Mapicho headed it but it came wide of the goal.
The match referee awarded a penalty kick for Zamalek in the 40th minute, after the Abu Qir Fertilizers defender intervened on Ahmed Zizo, who tried at the beginning of this game and shot the ball at the right post, after Nasser Mansi succeeded in fooling the goalkeeper and seized the ball.
Ahmed Zizo missed the penalty kick after the Abu Qir Fertilizers goalkeeper succeeded in saving it, by going to the right side of the ground where the Zamalek player shot, leaving the score (1-0) only for Al-Abyad.
Ahmed Mahmoud committed a violation against the Abu Qir Fertilizers player, earning him a yellow card. After this game, Abu Qir coach Mohamed Attia objected to the referee, so the latter issued a warning to him, but the objections continued until the match observer intervened to end the matter.
The second half of the match began with Ahmed Fattouh leaving and Omar Gaber replacing him on the left side.
Abu Qir Fertilizers was close to scoring an equalizer again in the first minute of the second half, from a cross ball from the right side, shot by the team’s striker, but Mohamed Sobhi saved it and turned it into a corner kick.
Abu Qir Fertilizers threatened Zamalek’s goal again with a shot in the 50th minute, which Mohamed Sobhi Ali blocked twice.
Mohamed Shehata received a yellow card in the 54th minute after a tackle from behind on an Abu Qir Fertilizers player.
Christian Gross made two substitutions in Zamalek’s lineup in the 65th minute, with Nasser Mansi and Konrad Michalak substituting for Hossam Ashraf and Mostafa Shalaby.
By the 70th minute, Gross settled on replacing Ahmed Zizo and replacing him with Mahmoud Shikabala, and Omar Jaber immediately went and gave him the captaincy.
Mustafa Shalaby managed to score Zamalek’s second goal in the 1+90 minute after a powerful shot into the far right corner of Abu Qir Fertilizers’ goalkeeper, securing the White Knight’s qualification.
The match was a series of attempts between the two teams, but Zamalek Club succeeded, with its experience, in resolving the confrontation through a goal in the first half and then a goal in the final moments of the match.