Ceramica Cleopatra delivered a commanding performance on Thursday evening, defeating ZED FC 4-1 away from home in the fifth round of the Egyptian League Cup group stage.
The visitors wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Mohamed Reda opening the scoring just four minutes into the match.
The early breakthrough set the tone for what would become a one-sided contest in favor of the Red and Gold.
By the 15th minute, Ceramica Cleopatra had doubled their lead through Zakala, who capitalised on a defensive lapse to extend the advantage.
The pressure continued to mount for the hosts, and only seven minutes later, Shokry provided a well-placed assist for Ibrahim Mohamed, who slotted home the third goal in the 22nd minute.
ZED FC managed to pull one back under unusual circumstances, as Ceramica defender Belhadj inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
Despite the momentary lifeline, the hosts struggled to build momentum and failed to create sustained attacking threats.
Belhadj, eager to make amends, did so emphatically in the 83rd minute by scoring Ceramica Cleopatra’s fourth goal, restoring the three-goal cushion and sealing a convincing victory.
The win reinforces Ceramica Cleopatra’s strong form in the competition and boosts their prospects of advancing beyond the group stage.
Other results from Thursday’s fixtures:
- Al Ahly 1–2 Pharco FC: In one of the evening’s surprises, Pharco FC edged out Egyptian giants Al Ahly with a 2-1 win, handing the Cairo side a rare defeat.
- El Geish 1–0 ENPPI: El Geish secured a narrow but valuable win thanks to a solitary goal that proved enough to claim all three points.
- Ghazl El Mahallah 0–0 Al Masry: A tightly contested match ended without goals, as both sides failed to find a breakthrough.
Thursday’s matches have added further intrigue to the Egyptian League Cup, with teams jostling for position as the group stage nears its conclusion.
For Ceramica Cleopatra, their emphatic win signals a team hitting its stride at the right moment.
