Zamalek’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup remain firmly in their own hands after a draw with Al-Masry tightened the battle for qualification in Group D.
The goalless stalemate between Zamalek and Al-Masry Al-Portsaidi in the third round of the group stage left the standings finely balanced, with several scenarios still open as the competition moves into its decisive phase.
Al-Masry lead Group D with seven points, while Zamalek sit second on five.
South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs are close behind in third place with four points, while Zambia’s Zesco United remain bottom of the group without a point.
With three matches still to play, Zamalek have clear targets as they seek to progress to the last eight.
The Cairo side are due to face Al-Masry and Kaizer Chiefs at home in Egypt before travelling to Zambia to take on Zesco United away from home.
Mathematically, Zamalek require six additional points to reach a total of 11, a tally that could be sufficient to secure qualification.
Those points could come from victories over either Al-Masry, Kaizer Chiefs, or both, depending on results elsewhere in the group.
Winning one of the direct encounters against their closest rivals would significantly boost Zamalek’s position.
A victory over either Al-Masry or Kaizer Chiefs, followed by another win, would eliminate one of the competing teams from contention and place Zamalek either at the top of the group or safely in second place.
One scenario sees Zamalek beating Kaizer Chiefs and winning another match.
In that case, the maximum number of points the South African side could reach would be 10, even if they were to defeat both Al-Masry and Zesco United.
Another possibility involves Zamalek defeating Al-Masry and Zesco United but losing to Kaizer Chiefs.
That sequence would take Zamalek to 11 points, while both Al-Masry and Kaizer Chiefs would remain on 10 points ahead of their meeting.
Even if that match ended in a draw, all three teams would be level on 11 points, meaning goal difference would decide the final standings.
As a result, improving their goal difference is likely to be a key consideration for Zamalek as the group stage continues.
Zamalek’s next test in the Confederation Cup comes next Sunday, when they face Al-Masry Al-Portsaidi once again, in a fixture that could prove pivotal in shaping the outcome of Group D.
