Al Ahly would have beaten Zamalek 4-0 if Ammouta were a great coach – Shikabala

Former Zamalek captain Mahmoud Abdel-Razek Shikabala has questioned Al Ahly’s tactical performance despite their 2-0 victory over Zamalek in the Egyptian Premier League, insisting the result could have been more emphatic under a better coach.

Al Ahly secured the bragging rights in the Cairo derby on Sunday, October 11, recording a 2-0 win in the sixth round of the Egyptian top-flight to move temporarily to the top of the league standings.

However, Shikabala was unimpressed with Al Ahly’s display, arguing that their victory was largely influenced by luck rather than superior tactical execution.

Speaking on MBC Egypt 2, the former Zamalek star suggested that Al Ahly could have scored four goals if their coach, Hussein Ammouta, had made better tactical use of Zamalek’s attacking players Ahmed Sayed Zizo and Achraf Bencharki.

“If Ammouta was truly a great coach, he would have beaten Zamalek 4-0, if he had played Zizo and Bencharki correctly in the match,” Shikabala said.

He further criticised Al Ahly’s performance, insisting that neither of their goals demonstrated clear superiority over their bitter rivals.

“From a technical standpoint, Al-Ahly did not offer anything. Al-Ahly’s two goals came by luck. The first goal was due to the ball changing direction, and the second was due to a mistake by Al-Mahdi Suleiman,” he added.

Shikabala also highlighted Zamalek’s lack of training during a 25-day suspension, arguing that the disruption affected the team’s preparation for the crucial encounter.

He questioned the tactical approach of veteran midfielder Abdullah El-Said, particularly his decision to press Marwan Attia in midfield rather than focus on moving the team forward.

The victory nevertheless proved valuable for Al Ahly, who moved to 16 points from six matches, having recorded five wins and one draw, placing them temporarily one point ahead of second-placed Pyramids.