Al Ahly assistant Hisham El Zahid calls for fan support after ZED victory

Al Ahly assistant manager Hisham El Zahid said his side produced a strong performance in their 2-0 Egyptian Premier League win over ZED, while acknowledging that fatigue affected the team during parts of the match.

The result at Cairo Stadium secured Al Ahly’s second victory of the league campaign. Achraf Bencharki and Taher Mohamed Taher scored the goals as the defending champions moved on to six points, alongside Al Masry, Pyramids FC and Tala’ea El Gaish.

El Zahid, speaking through Al Ahly’s official Facebook account, said the team’s display was positive despite the demanding schedule.

“We put in a good performance against ZED, although it was inconsistent at times because of fatigue, especially as the matches are coming in quick succession,” he said.

Al Ahly made the better start, but ZED finished the first half strongly. El Zahid attributed that change in momentum to the physical demands on his players before insisting that the team regained control after the interval.

“We started the match well, and ZED were the better side at the end of the first half. That was because of tiredness and fatigue. Our defensive organisation was very good, and we recovered the advantage at the start of the second half,” he added.

The assistant manager also explained that Al Ahly had rotated several players after their opening league fixture. Akram Tawfik and Afsha were among those who came into the side, while the coaching staff sought to protect other players from further fatigue.

“We prepare for every match with the same seriousness, and we saw a number of players taking part instead of others who played in the first match, such as Akram Tawfik and Afsha. But we tried to preserve those players because of the fatigue they had experienced,” said El Zahid.

He credited the whole squad for the outcome of the first match against Eastern Company (ENPPI), but reserved particular praise for Al Ahly’s supporters. The club’s backing from the stands, he said, remained central to the team’s prospects.

“The result of the first match came through the efforts of everyone, but the supporters were number one. Without Al Ahly’s fans, our results would not have the same advantage that we hope for,” he said.

El Zahid urged the supporters to continue encouraging the team throughout matches, particularly as new players adapt to the club and look to establish themselves.

“The fans’ support throughout the match is always important, especially because there are new faces who have joined the team and need that support to perform in the best way possible,” he said.

The victory extended Al Ahly’s unbeaten record against ZED to seven league meetings. They have now won six successive encounters, with the other fixture ending in a draw.

Al Ahly will face Smouha in their third league match on Thursday. ZED, who remain on one point after a goalless draw with Wadi Degla in the opening round, will play Tala’ea El Gaish on Tuesday at 17:00.