Ceramica Cleopatra’s head coach Ali Maher chalked up his team’s 2-1 loss to Zamalek in the Egypt Cup semi-finals to a twist of misfortune and squandered opportunities.
The defeat on Friday paved the way for Zamalek to advance, setting the stage for an electrifying final against Pyramids. Speaking after the match, Maher didn’t mince words about where things went wrong, pointing to a pivotal penalty and his squad’s failure to capitalize on key moments.
Maher confirmed in the press conference following the match: “My team was not threatened during the first half, except for the play that resulted in a penalty kick in Zamalek’s favor.”
“If my team had taken advantage of the opportunities it had before conceding Zamalek’s second goal, it would have won the match.
“I congratulate Zamalek on qualifying for the final, and I confirm that my team will focus on the upcoming matches in the league and the Cairo Capital Cup.
“We had to take advantage of the opportunities that came our way, and luck was not on our side in the Zamalek match.”
