Zamalek coach Jose Peseiro voiced frustration after his side crashed out of the Egyptian Capital Cup, despite a 1-0 win over Smouha on Wednesday at Borg El Arab Stadium.
Nasser Mansi’s 24th-minute strike gave the Whites hope, but it wasn’t enough to carry them into the next round.
Zamalek finished Group A with five points, equal to second-placed Modern Sport, but lost out on goal difference and ended in third. Peseiro, clearly disappointed, stressed that his team deserved to qualify but fell short due to missed chances.
“I’m angry that we are out of the tournament, we deserved to qualify but we didn’t manage to score the second goal that would have given us the ticket,” he said.
He criticized the packed match schedule, saying the quick turnaround between games left players exhausted and affected performance.
“There is a state of stress due to the pressure of the matches… we could have played the game tomorrow to give the team a rest,” Peseiro added.
Despite the setback, he praised his players’ effort and fighting spirit.
