CAF Confederation Cup: Moatamed Gamal remains optimistic after Zamalek’s slim defeat to USM Alger

Zamalek head coach Moatamed Gamal has insisted his side are still firmly in the contest for a place in the CAF Confederation Cup final despite suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to USM Alger in the first leg of their semi-final in Algeria.

Ahmed Khaldi scored the only goal of the match from the penalty spot in added time, giving the Algerian side an important advantage ahead of the second leg in Egypt.

Speaking after the match, Gamal struck a determined tone, stressing that the tie remains open ahead of the decisive return leg in Cairo.

“There is a first half that has ended in Algeria, and there is still another half in Cairo. We have a strong motivation to make up for this and win the title. We had hoped at least to come away with a goalless draw,” Gamal said at the post-match press conference.

The Egyptian side were left frustrated after conceding the only goal of the game, but Gamal was quick to defend his team’s tactical approach, particularly their organisation without the ball.

The Zamalek coach said his players executed the game plan well, especially in defence, and noted that the team also looked to hurt their opponents through quick attacking transitions.

“The players did what they had to do on the pitch. We defended well and had more chances to score by relying on transitions. We will fight until the last minute to win and claim the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup title,” he added.

Zamalek SC will now turn their focus to the second leg, where they will look to overturn the deficit in front of their home supporters.

Their opponents, USM Alger, carry a slender advantage into the return fixture but will be aware of the challenge awaiting them in a hostile Cairo atmosphere.

The second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final is scheduled to take place in Cairo on 16 May, with a place in the final firmly on the line.