Al Ahly will face off against Zamalek in the final of the 2022-2023 Egyptian Cup. The showdown is set to take place at the Al Oula Park Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Friday next week.
This eagerly awaited clash between two of Egypt’s football giants is laden with significance, as Al Ahly seeks to break a long-standing jinx that has seen Zamalek emerge victorious on several occasions in the past.
Throughout the history of the Egyptian Cup, the encounters between Al Ahly and Zamalek have been nothing short of intense, with the two clubs facing each other directly in 20 matches.
Remarkably, they each have nine wins to their name, underlining the fierce competition between them. The clubs also share the title twice, having been crowned joint champions in 1943 and 1958.
What makes this final even more intriguing is the psychological battle at play.
Both Al Ahly and Zamalek have struggled to overcome each other in recent cup finals, leading to a series of consecutive defeats for each side.
Zamalek endured a 59-year drought without a cup victory over Al Ahly, failing to secure a win in four cup final meetings between 1959 and 2015.
However, they finally broke the curse in the 2015 Egyptian Cup final, clinching a 2-0 victory with goals from striker Bassem Morsi.
Since then, the tables have turned, with Al Ahly experiencing their struggles in cup finals against Zamalek.
The Red Devils tasted defeat in three consecutive cup finals against their rivals, held in 2015, 2016, and 2022.
