Gomez claims Zamalek could have won anyway against Ghazl El Mahalla despite red card

Zamalek’s head coach, José Gomez, believes his team would have triumphed even if Ghazl El Mahalla had played with a full squad during their 4-0 victory in the fourth round of the Nile League. The match saw Ghazl El Mahalla reduced to 10 men, a development that Gomez feels altered the course of the game.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Gomez emphasized that his team approached the match with an attacking mindset, dominating the encounter from start to finish.

We entered the match with an attacking mentality, and the match was one-sided,” he said. “If the opponent had played with a full squad, Ghazl El Mahalla could have been better.

But my team controlled the match, played on the flanks, and relied on high pressure.

He further added that while it was impossible to predict the outcome had Ghazl El Mahalla remained intact, he was confident Zamalek would still have emerged victorious.

We would have won if they had played with a full complement,” Gomez remarked.

The Portuguese coach also addressed the substitution of Ahmed Abdel Rahim “Esho, who was replaced due to muscle pain.

Gomez explained: The player suffered from muscle pain, and we preferred not to risk him, and he was substituted so that his injury would not worsen.”

Gomez praised his team’s overall performance, which he described as the kind of display he desires from Zamalek.

He noted that despite some moments where the team could have faced stronger opposition, Zamalek’s ability to execute high-pressure tactics was key to their success.

We could have played the same way and not won.

In the Black Bulls match, we played the same way and won by only two goals.

The level that the team showed today is the Zamalek that I want,” he said.

The Zamalek manager also expressed his belief in the importance of stability for the team.

The players are not machines, and if there are things that occupy them, they will not achieve what is required,” he stated.

He also acknowledged that Zamalek officials were doing their best to support the team, allowing players to focus solely on the field.

Zamalek can succeed and achieve championships if efforts are combined to make the team successful.

Regarding player recovery, Gomez highlighted the return of Ahmed Fathi El-Wensh, who had been sidelined for almost nine months due to injury.

El-Wensh played 45 minutes in a friendly match and showed his ability to play.

He was injured in my first training session with the team, and he is returning to participate again after about 9 months of absence,” he revealed.

The 4-0 victory saw Zamalek move up to second place in the Nile League standings with 9 points, while Ghazl El Mahalla remains in 13th place.